12 MiMfg Magazine May 2018
UHY ’ s Deep Dive into Industry 4.0
Not every Forum expert owned a manufacturing facility — some have worked decades with globally recognized brands and walked away with a keen understanding of the direction technology is pulling the industry . UHY LLP ’ s Thomas Alongi explained how that change can allow for both new innovations and new fears for small to mid-sized manufacturers whose long-term strategies are now disrupted in ways they never expected .
“ Industry 4.0 is already a disruptor in many sectors . I have clients that are well on their way into the fourth industrial revolution and I have clients that believe they will be unaffected ,” Alongi said , pressing business leaders to look past their facility ’ s four walls and to how technology will act as a longterm game changer . “ Which one do you want to be ?”
“ Tom ’ s presentation was another example of the high-level discussion happening throughout the Forum ,” said Sponsler . “ His focus on opportunities and threats really emphasized the possibilities available to us and offered new ways of looking for what can be achieved .”
What to Watch For : Manufacturers Talk Tech
For the manufacturer who considers the MFG Forum as a chance to connect with fellow employers and learn the challenges their peers face , a panel presentation offered attendees insight into technology ’ s growing impact on manufacturing — not just what it does , but what it is .
“ Advances in manufacturing technologies have equalized global competition and capability ,” said Rick Blake of Edgewater Automation , joining representatives from PwC , Brose North America , and Eckhart on-stage . “ These well-lit , clean and advanced automated systems we use today are more agile ; they are better equipped to provide data and create at the highest quality possible … manufacturing is changing at the speed of technology and every day we are learning .”
Staying Secure on a New Battlefield
Cyber security is becoming part of every business strategy and representatives of the FBI , Michigan State Police and Merit Network came to Novi to help Forum attendees identify traits of a cyber attacker , recognize business weak points , build culture and policies for strong cyber security and provide resources to help .
“ It ’ s no longer a matter of if you will be targeted , but when ,” said Rebecca Taylor , NCMS senior vice president .
As an industry with growing visibility to cybercriminals , the days of pretending cyber threats
La-Z-Boy ’ s David Behen shared strategies to make every business tech-savvy and fun during Forum ’ s closing keynote .