Michigan Economic Development Corporation recently announced that the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a statewide effort to ensure that 50% of all Michigan manufactures are ready to adapt Industry 4.0 technologies by 2025. Industry 4.0 is the convergence of digital and physical technologies; this has the potential to help reduce the negative impact automation can have on Michigan’s current labor.
Ensuring that Industry 4.0 readiness for small and medium-sized manufactures is essential and efforts to raise awareness of the importance of this is a top priority. Automation Alley and the MMTC have partnered with MEDC to do just that. Listed in the press release, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a list of actions that raise the importance of Industry 4.0 readiness and the resources and services available to manufacturers.
Automation Alley has been a long-standing partner with MEDC. In their new agreement, they stated that they are focused on delivering support services to the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies through education, leadership assessments and evaluations, and opportunities to share knowledge on Industry 4.0. MMTC is also working with Automation Alley and MEDC to help advance the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies by manufacturers.
Working together, they are growing awareness of the impacts of automation on future growth among small and medium-sized manufacturers. MEDC is launching an advertising campaign to grow that awareness, as well as connecting manufacturers to the resources provided by Automation Alley and MMTC.