Industry of the Future: An ambitious association driven by a strong mobilization with concrete objectives for a new industrial era

,

In the coming weeks the AFDEL,[1] the FIM,[2] the Gimélec,[3] the Symop,[4] Syntec Numérique,[5] the UIMM,[6] the CEA,[7] the CETIM,[8] the ENSAM[9] and IMT are to establish an association dedicated to the industry of the future. It will have a shared ambition: to make France a leader in the new global industrial generation, thus placing it right at the heart of new industrial systems. With a concrete objective: for all firms, and particularly SMEs, to benefit from operational assistance to make their production plant and their overall organization more effective.

 

The alignment and merging between the ecosystems involved in this industrial project (digital, mechanical engineering, electrical, services…), the world of education and the political sphere demonstrate the importance which we attach to the modernization and digitization of industrial firms, with an approach that particularly targets the SMEs of our regions.

The new industrial systems thoroughly incorporate the transformation of our ecosystem, via new production technologies (composites, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics and virtualization…), a high level of integration of digital systems (cloud, big data, connected objects…), the safeguarding of natural resources, the pooling of design functions and the significant improvement of the role of humans in the plant of tomorrow. Although France has undeniable assets which enable it to play a major role in this industrial revolution, it is faced with a real challenge due to the significant intensification of worldwide competition.

The industry of tomorrow – flexible, agile and connected – must be capable of making use of enormous volumes of data and of continually adapting to its environment. It therefore requires cutting-edge technological developments, backed by French research bodies recognized at the highest international level, in particular in the fields of digital systems and manufacturing. This transformation also represents a real opportunity for industry to regain its place in society through innovation, quality and respect for the environment as well as through training and the dissemination of skills. This dissemination responds to the need for social and professional integration as well as to the issues of employability, both present and future, of our employees.

Three emblematic measures feature amongst the association’s concrete proposals: the creation and promotion – between now and the end of 2016 – of more than 15 emblematic projects on a national or even European scale, raising awareness among more than 15,000 firms of digital transformation, assistance to 2000 industrial SMEs or midcaps in their modernization plans, and the deployment of technological platforms accessible to manufacturers throughout French territory.

We have called for a general mobilization of firms and of all the players present (professional organizations, ministries, local authorities and research bodies…) so that statements of principle can be converted into concrete and large-scale action in order to allow our firms to win the competitiveness race! This plan and this association come in response to this desire, and we are delighted with it; it extends and amplifies the measures undertaken in connection with plan 34 for the New Industrial France.

[1] French Association for Publishers of Software and Internet Solutions

[2] French Federation of Mechanical Engineering Industries

[3] Equipment, Control-Command and Associated Services Industries Group

[4] Production Machines and Technologies Syndicate

[5] Professional Syndicate for the French Digital Ecosystem

[6] French Union of Metallurgical Industries and Trades

[7] French Atomic Energy Commission

[8] Technical Centre for Mechanical Industries

[9] Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers

Download the presse release in PDF