As in all other industries, the breadth of data that printing & packaging companies possess can provide significant opportunities to locate efficiency opportunities. Integrated smart systems, processes, sensors, data and analytics are helping packaging manufacturers make smart decisions, automate processes and reach efficiency and cost-saving targets – all of these come under the ambit of IoT. Observers believe that IoT initiatives can often be the starting point of digitalisation. Peripheral technologies, such as 5G (or 4G) and artificial intelligence (AI), provide support and enhancements: IoT collects the data, 5G (or 4G) transmits it, and AI extracts the insights.
Companies in all sectors are increasingly looking to digitalise their production processes as well as supply chains and make faster and better-informed decisions based on the data collected through fully integrating the interconnected technologies like IoT, AI, cloud and edge computing through the entire printing & packaging value chain. IoT as a service (IoTaaS) vendors provide various platforms to assist organisations with IoT deployment without in-house expertise. IoTaaS aims to make it easy for enterprises to deploy and manage their connected devices, and has become an accelerator for IoT adoption, especially in predictive maintenance, advanced automation and condition monitoring.
“As the world recovers from COVID and economic growth returns, IoTaaS revenues will grow dramatically” expressed an IoT expert. Accenture, IBM and Microsoft are among the providers likely to see the biggest demand for their services. Indeed, the increased use of IoT has resulted in its growth across all industries, not just within printing & packaging alone. Rough estimates in manufacturing – global IoT revenue will reach US$91bn by 2025, up from $69bn in 2020. This represents a compound annual growth rate of CAGR of 5.7%.
IoT and the environment – A perfect match
Among the most critical challenges for packaging companies is environmental sustainability. As a tool to fight this challenge, IoT could be the silver bullet. According to the World Economic Forum, for example, combining IoT with 5G and AI could help cut carbon emissions by 15%. The use of IoT is becoming an integral aid in reaching environmental sustainability targets. By implementing IoT into their operations, businesses are able to get closer to – or achieve – their goals in areas like energy reduction in manufacturing by streamlining their operations and running more efficient enterprises.
US-based packaging giant Ball Corp, for example, has partnered with AI software provider C3 AI to collect data from 60 of its facilities around the world. The software is used to track, aggregate, manage and report energy use at the sites. This contributes to Ball’s global sustainability goals of transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions before 2050. Meanwhile, Tetra Pak’s commitment to investing around US$113.8m per year over the next five to ten years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. As part of this transformation, Tetra Pak has invested in Microsoft Azure IoT solutions such as Azure IoT Hub to create ‘smart factories’ that drive sustainability across its whole organisation. The group uses Azure IoT Edge devices to advance the operational efficiencies at its customers’ facilities around the world, targeting predictive maintenance and monitoring overall equipment effectiveness.
The use of IoT to fight the good fight for environmental sustainability doesn’t concentrate solely on factories. Paper & pulp manufacturer Stora Enso has started to apply IoT within their forests through the digitalisation of operations. The Finnish company is looking to use the technology to make gains on its ambition to offer 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050. Moves include the use of drones for forest inventory, virtual visits of forests and improved decision-making through the use of AI and satellite imagery.
IoT is making its presence felt in all industries, packaging included. The truth is, the companies that fail to prioritise – and invest in – IoT will struggle to survive in the years ahead.
Leveraging IoT for the smaller players in the printing & packaging industry
From the above writeup, the reader might get a feeling that IoT is meant for only the big factories which are multi locational, in the printing & packaging industry. Well, not really! Ok, let me ask you a few questions –
- Do you have the Machine Downtime Report of your shop floor?
- Do you know at what speed your machine is running at this very moment?
- Do you know the production lost report in your last shift?
- Do you know the Late Start & Early Stop timings of your machines?
All of the above (and much, much more) can be made available to you without any manual interference (meaning – NO OPERATOR involvement), fully automatic and above all at minimal costs.
Well, Unico Tech Solution LLP, an Indian StartUp, has an IoT based hydrid solution for the Indian Printing & Packaging industry which can provide complete answers to all of the questions above and much more!
For more info, please get in touch with Sachin at +91 98993 07625 OR visit www.unicotechsolution.com OR write to [email protected]. He can arrange for an online demo and if convinced, can also recommend a demo at your premises.