Manufacturing logistics and procurement – May 2025
Acceleration of digitalisation in industry
Deloitte’s 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey reveals that digitalisation is advancing rapidly. The study shows that no less than 83% of the surveyed companies have already invested in smart manufacturing, and 62% expect to actively implement Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) within two years. The expected benefits primarily relate to process optimisation, cost savings, quality improvement, and increased production responsiveness.
NTT Data supports this with figures from its own research: 77% of respondents report higher productivity thanks to GenAI, and nearly half cite workforce optimisation as the main benefit. At the same time, 93% consider digital transformation crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage. You can download the report after filling in your details.
PwC predicts that global AI adoption could enable the world economy to grow by 15% by 2030. However, Europe is lagging behind. The study notes that increased use of AI is expected to result in higher energy consumption by data centres. A modest application of AI to stimulate energy efficiency could help offset this increased consumption.
Open source and organisational readiness are key to AI success
On 9 April, the European Commission presented its AI Continent Action Plan, which outlines the path to positioning the EU as a leading AI continent. A new report (3.22 MB) from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) presents the project’s successful outcomes and helps identify regions with strong demand for digital transformation services and gaps in current support systems.
According to a McKinsey report, open source is becoming an increasingly important driver of AI innovation. Organisations that actively contribute to open-source projects can develop advanced AI applications faster and at lower cost. These organisations report shorter time-to-market, greater innovation capacity, and improved ecosystem collaboration. You can download the report after filling in your details.
A report from PMMI stresses that technology adoption is only successful when accompanied by organisational readiness. Only 37% of companies feel well prepared for digital transformation. The biggest obstacles include a lack of skills, underutilisation of available data, and insufficient cross-departmental alignment. You can download the report after filling in your details.
New method improves production and increases machine availability
A University of Jordan study (1.12 MB) published in Management Systems in Production Engineering describes a method that helps reduce errors, waste, and technical issues in factories. When applied in a packaging company, this approach increased machine availability by 11.85%. The method enables smarter, faster, and higher-quality production.
TNO warns of Dutch de-industrialisation
According to a report (1.66 MB, in Dutch) by TNO (in Dutch), the Dutch industry risks losing ground if digitalisation and sustainability efforts do not accelerate. Emerging de-industrialisation has direct consequences for innovation, economic growth, and strategic autonomy. To reverse this trend, TNO advocates for a strong innovation policy and closer cooperation between government, industry, and knowledge institutions.
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