12.  Conclusion

With the industry of the future, a new factory model has emerged. A model designed to be at the heart of its ecosystem and respond to new societal needs. The stakes are enormous, for manufacturers, their subcontractors and their customers alike. A factory focused on people... a factory that is clean, quiet and respectful of its environment... a factory that is involved in its local ecosystem, and that saves raw materials and energy. Of course, an interconnected industry, with the widespread connection of individuals to machines, and of machines to each other, with a value chain that starts in the design offices and extends right down to the shop floor, that delivers customized, sustainable products and services at competitive prices while seeking various opportunities to cut costs even further, and that responds more quickly to customer requirements. And to achieve these objectives, whatever...