German cement industry well equipped for industry 4.0 due to high degree of digitization

The recently published study “Industry 4.0 in the Cement Industry – Status quo and Perspectives” by RWTH Aachen University attests German cement manufacturers a high degree of digitisation in the production process. The companies have established the foundation for Industry 4.0 and have already implemented certain parts of it.  The study authors see challenges for the i implementation of industry 4.0 above all in the availability of IT specialists as well as in the Internet supply at the locations.

The aim of the study is to present the status quo and future prospects for industry 4.0 in the cement industry. The analysis focuses on the manufacturing process in the cement plant and the subsequent value chain. The industry was intensively involved in the preparation of the study through on-site visits to the plants, workshops and a written survey. The practical data determined in this way were evaluated by RWTH Aachen University using a six-stage industry 4.0 maturity model.

The study results show that almost all of the companies surveyed have digital information available and can transmit it. Thus the prerequisites for the digitalization of all processes, the basis of industry 4.0, are fulfilled almost everywhere. In addition, individual automated process steps such as clinker production or cement grinding have an even higher degree of industrial 4.0 maturity.