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The manufacturing research body will use an internationally recognised tool to help drive digital transformation across Irish industry.
Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is positioning itself to evaluate and provide guidance on the adoption of digital technologies in Irish industry.
The manufacturing research and technology organisation is ready to give Irish manufacturing a roadmap to the fourth industrial revolution. Also known as industry 4.0, it refers to the increasing automation of manufacturing and industrial practices using smart technology.
Three team members from IMR have achieved the certification required to provide industry 4.0 assessments and guidance for companies in Ireland. They are director of digitalisation Dr Niall Aughney, director of analytics Dr Fergus Quilligan and industrial solutions architect Adrian Hovenden.
These certified assessors will use the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), an internationally approved industry 4.0 assessment tool originally developed to drive digital transformation in manufacturing in Asia.
“Many Irish companies are grappling with the concept of industry 4.0 and the value it may bring to them,” said IMR chief of operations Maurice O’Connell.
“The SIRI assessment really addresses that challenge and informs participating companies how to move forward on their industry 4.0 journey in a way that improves their key business metrics.”
IMR’s assessors will help manufacturers identify their current state of digital maturity across process, technology and organisation readiness. They will then aim to equip these manufacturers with the information and tools they need to take the next steps to meeting their recommendations.
Hundreds of companies have already undergone SIRI assessment. It was created in partnership with leading tech companies, consultancy firms, and industry and academic experts.
SIRI has now been adopted by the World Economic Forum as the go-to methodology for industry 4.0 assessment across 15 countries.
“In creating SIRI, the WEF has identified that the pace of industry 4.0 adoption is uneven across different industries and companies,” O’Connell added.
SIRI can be used to asses manufacturers of any size and in any industry, whether they are seeking to start, scale or sustain a digital transformation. Its recommendations are focused on increasing competitiveness.
