MIS/ERP software under the umbrella of Industry 4.0

Today, the use of Integrated Management Software is not a convenience, but a necessity for industrial companies, says Paulo Souto. – The impact of the pandemic is undeniable here. Our customers say: “If we didn’t have management software that allowed remote connectivity, we wouldn’t be able to keep producing”. This statement is a good reflection of today’s reality: companies that have implemented process automation solutions have adapted to change more quickly.

Interview [PDF]

Poligrafika: What is the impact of the pandemic with regard to the pursuit of business process automation solutions, such as MIS? Which sectors of the printing industry have become more active in implementing these solutions since the beginning of the pandemic and why?

Paulo Souto: I am impressed with certain changes that have taken place in the printing and packaging industry. A few years ago, a number of processes, in the area of sales, implementation or service, which now occur remotely, were out of the question. We have been talking about Industry 4.0 for years in various seminars or conferences, but the interest of companies in solutions related to this concept is not at all proportional to the time spent. It is not a machine that will bring specific levels of productivity and expected profits. Moreover, cloud solutions have, for many years, been the subject of great suspicion. Today, the use of Integrated Management Software is not a convenience, but a necessity for industrial companies. The impact of the pandemic is undeniable here. Our customers say: “If we did not have management software that allowed remote connectivity, we would not be able to continue production”. This statement is a good reflection of today’s reality: companies that have implemented process automation solutions have adapted to change more quickly. It is important to mention that automation or digitalisation is not the same as the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept. From an Industry 4.0 perspective, fully integrated MIS software is a very simple solution, but it is an essential piece of the puzzle. This is still a distant future in the printing and packaging industry, although label and packaging producers producing for the food supply chain are inherently more automation-oriented. With the onset of the first enclosure, the production ramp-up of these companies was very intense. Market transformation is happening before our eyes, e-commerce is reaching record increases, which is great news for the packaging industry.