A “Future of Enterprises” report issued this week by Ericsson IndustryLab predicts widespread transformation of manufacturing enterprises in the coming years, including a rapid rise in ICT-enabled production tools such as augmented reality, exoskeletons and remote control.
The report also forecasts new factory set-ups including, manufacturing-as-a-service and pop-up factories. Called the Rise of the Smarter, Swifter, Safer Production Employee, the report marks the second edition of the Ericsson IndustryLab Future of Enterprises report series.
According to the report research, most manufacturing enterprises expect to be at least 80 percent automated within ten years, with many expecting to see at least a two-fold rise in the use of ICT-enabled tools within the next five years. Such tools include: AI software, video recognition, augmented and virtual reality, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and exoskeletons.
As an external body cover, exoskeletons can, through their support of body parts such as hands, arms, or even full body suits, provide production employees with increased strength, precision and endurance. The report series explores the possible futures of enterprise operations. The first Future of Enterprises report – The Dematerialization Path to Profitability and Sustainability – was published in February, 2021.
The latest report takes an in-depth look at the future of manufacturing, gathering insights representative of about 145 million production employees across 22 markets. The report finds that most manufacturing enterprises have emerged largely unharmed from the worst effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with 69 percent reporting an unchanged, or even improved, financial performance since lockdowns began.
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