Manufacturing Indaba 2018 to launch IoT / Industry 4.0 Conference - affiliated to the symposium as an official side event

Johannesburg, 7 May 2018: On 21 June 2018, to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa, the Manufacturing Indaba will host a one-day conference that will focus exclusively on the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, otherwise known as the "Fourth Industrial Revolution". The event will reveal how these revolutionary technologies impact manufacturers, providing attendees with a thorough understanding of this pertinent subject; enabling knowledge sharing and engaging dialogue discussions, as well as offering valuable insights to the latest global trends affecting the manufacturing industry.

An annual 12% increase on average is expected on the number of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide, from approximately 27 billion in 2017 to 125 billion in 2030. This emerging IoT movement not only has a significant impact on almost all aspects of the manufacturing industry, but on all facets of the economy as a whole.
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution gains momentum, decision-makers from public and private sectors are confronted with a new set of uncertainties regarding the future of production. Smart technologies are transcending computing capabilities associated with the digital revolution, transforming the physical world through robotics and innovative production methodologies; enhancing human beings on a physical, mental, and experiential front; and permeating the environment to facilitate greater interconnectivity, monitoring, and efficiency of resource utilisation.
Rapidly emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence (AI), wearables, robotics and additive manufacturing, are spurring the development of new production techniques and business models that will fundamentally transform global production. Furthermore, these technologies have the capacity to foster new, more distributed and collaborative supply chains. Together, the speed and scope of change contribute to the complexity of existing challenges associated with the tasks of developing and implementing industrial strategies that promote productivity and inclusive growth.*
As the premise of this years conference, discussions centered around IoT will cover the fundamentals of connect, collect, compute and create, highlighting how manufacturers can capitalise on these innovations to optimise operations, create unique business models and solutions and enhance their ability to collate and use data through advanced, autonomous computation methodologies.
* Source - Insight report World Economic Forum - Readiness for the Future of Production

MORE ABOUT THE MANUFACTURING INDABA
The 5th annual Manufacturing Indaba will be hosted at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg from the 19 - 20 June 2018. The event will comprise a two-day conference and exhibition and is hosted in partnership with the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti), the Department of Science & Technology, the Manufacturing Circle and the NCPC-SA. The event is designed specifically for private and public company representatives to hear from industry experts as they unpack challenges and find solutions for growth across the manufacturing sectors and explore regional trade into Africa. The 2018 event will launch the IoT / Industry 4.0 Conference aligned to the Manufacturing Indaba as an official side event.
For more info on this event, or to register for the Indaba, visit www.manufacturingindaba.co.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manufacturingindaba/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IndabaManufact