Ribolla: only by working together can we win the challenge for the competitiveness of businesses and regions

Milan, 30 September 2016 – Lombardy’s regional associations and the public and private research sectors are joining forces to best seize the opportunities presented by the transition to Industry 4.0 and boost competitiveness. This was the key takeaway from the Confindustria Lombardia Presidential Council meeting held today in Milan at the headquarters of the Lombardy industrialists. The message also included appreciation for the work of the Minister of Economic Development, Carlo Calenda, on the National Industry 4.0 Plan, which is considered a first step towards defining a genuine, long-term industrial policy for the system.

In addition to the presidents of the Lombardy regional associations, attendees at the Confindustria Lombardia Presidential Council included Giulio Pedrollo, Confindustria Vice President for Industrial Policy; Andrea Dell’Orto, Vice President of Assolombarda with responsibility for manufacturing and member of the steering committee that developed the Industry 4.0 Plan; Gianluigi Viscardi, President of the Small Industry division of Confindustria Lombardia and the Intelligent Factory Cluster; and Marco Taisch, Professor of Operations Management and Advanced and Sustainable Manufacturing at the Politecnico di Milano.

Confindustria Lombardia President Alberto Ribolla emphasised that “In the #Lombardia2030 strategic plan presented last year, Confindustria Lombardia identified the transition to Industry 4.0 as an essential step to remain competitive, and the government must be credited for placing manufacturing back at the centre of the political agenda. Now that the public and private sectors are moving in tandem, the most challenging aspect is concrete implementation across the regions—which already boast numerous best practices in Lombardy—as well as the cultural shift required to seize these opportunities and the promotion of an ‘Education 4.0’ model aligned with business needs. Lombardy,” Ribolla added, “has already established a unique regional project on this topic, the result of synergies between institutions, businesses, and research centres. Only by moving forward together can we win the challenge of its implementation, ensuring the competitiveness of our businesses and regions,” stated Confindustria Lombardia President Alberto Ribolla.

Confindustria Vice President for Industrial Policy Giulio Pedrollo, identified by the Confindustria Lombardia Presidential Council as the sole national representative for the Lombardy system on Industry 4.0, stated: “Industry 4.0 represents a significant shift in perspective. The country is finally returning to industrial policy by combining private and public expertise, creating synergies capable of driving research, technology, and innovation in the service of growth. Together with Minister Calenda, we are conducting a roadshow across Italy to ensure everyone understands the scale of this project, which rewards those who make targeted and useful investments. Lombardy is undoubtedly a best practice in this regard, and I believe it can play a leading role in closing the technological gap that has become debilitating for businesses and citizens in some areas of the country. It is now essential that this ambitious but achievable plan is put into practice, with the most operational measures being implemented in this Budget Law,” concluded Pedrollo.

Attachments

• Industry 4.0 Press Release - 30Sep2016.pdf