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STANDARD & LEGISLATION - UCIF Informs
Industry 4.0: the Challenges of 2018 Marcello Zinno UCIF – Italian Surface Treatment Equipment Manufacturers’ Association, Milan
L
info@ucif.net
ast year there, was a lot of talk about
This does not only mean that finishing
for the direct collection of financial
the Italian government’s plan for the
systems can acquire new abilities and
resources, with particular attention to
digitalisation of manufacturing and
become more innovative, but also that
firms intending to get in touch with more
mechanical companies. The Industry 4.0
this potential can produce advantages
financial operators in the context of
Plan focusses on both digitalisation and
for client/user companies – industrial
growth or internationalisation programs.
the improvement of firms’ technological
advantages (processing time reduction,
The first step of the agreement refers to
and applied research levels, and it soon
waste reduction, better monitoring of
the so-called ‘supply chain bonds’. This
boosted investment thanks to the tax
end-to-end production processes) but
instrument is aimed in particular at the
benefits provided by the Budget Law. The
also information benefits (control and
thousands of SMEs that play a decisive
ANIMA Federation immediately committed
management of data also in relation to the
role in the production chain of which
to inform its members on how to take
whole supply chain) that easily translate
they are part, but that fail to access the
advantage of these benefits. The main driver
into economic advantages. In order to fully
capital markets due to their size and
is clearly the 4.0-oriented nature of plants,
understand the innovative potentials and
economic results or use them without
and many members of ours, especially the
enabling technologies of our plants, UCIF
being given adequate creditworthiness.
finishing plant manufacturers represented
has organised a training day completely
That is why a series of data from each
by UCIF, have been producing such
dedicated to this topic, with reports by
supply chain, such as scope of activity,
machines for years now. Therefore, the new
start-up companies experts dealing with
companies involved, investment plans,
challenge for our companies is to deepen
Industry 4.0 issues and a few case studies
and economic and financial results
their knowledge of these technologies and
to be discussed together.
of individual companies, should be
understand how to further develop them
gathered and analysed in order to
with a 4.0-oriented approach. Predictive
However, our effort does not end there.
design a credit enhancement structure
maintenance, remote control, human-
The ANIMA Federation, to which UCIF
that can be financed on the market.
machine interface, and the Internet of
belongs, has signed an agreement with
Things are just some of the areas requiring
the Italian Banking Association (ABI) to
There are therefore no more excuses
special technologies able to advance our
facilitate the access of companies, even
or reasons to stay out of this important
sector.
the small and medium ones, to the market
business plan.
106
N. 51 - MAY/JUNE 2018 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
