Belgrade, May 18, 2016
Conference “Siemens – Partner for sustainable transition to 4.0 Industry” was held in Belgrade with the aim of pointing out the key challenges of “fourth industrial revolution” and the ways in which the process of digitalisation affects business in the modern world. The event was organised by Siemens Serbia, in cooperation with the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) and the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK).
While addressing the gathered guests in the initial speech, Ksenija Karić, director of division Digital Factory and Process industries and drives of the company Siemens Serbia, said that this company is a pioneer in the application of innovative solutions that will get us into a new era of production. “Digitisation is transforming the way that companies now develop and produce, increasing productivity, improving the competitiveness of companies in the global marketplace,” said Karić on this occasion.
Why is the term Industry 4.0 significant for the domestic economy and the market, was explained by Martin Knapp, Executive Director of the Management Board of the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, and Mihailo Vešović, director of the Center for Innovation Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Representatives of Chambers of Commerce emphasised that this revolution is global in character, and it will not only affect the large international companies, but to all actors in the supply chain, which is especially important for small and medium enterprises in Serbia.
The key speakers who presented the latest findings in this field were Leonhard Muigg, coordinator of Industry 4.0 at the level of Siemens Austria and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Werner Schoefberger, director of process automation of Siemens in Austria and Marko Nikolić, an expert in automation and energy efficiency of Siemens in Serbia. Those present at the meeting were acquainted with new business models that were created using the digitising process of industrial production, the ways in which they can integrate all production processes, services in the field of industrial IT security, as well as solutions and innovations that the company Siemens presented at the fair in Hannover a little less than a month ago.
At the panel discussion “How can Serbia go to the next level – Industry 4.0?”, dr Slobodan Tabaković, an associate professor at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, and Darko Mandić, head of procurement and controlling production investment company Hemofarm AD and the STADA Group, took part in the discussion. Panelists gave their answers to the question does Serbia sufficiently benefit opportunities that are connected with this concept, what are the challenges ahead of us, do we recognise the impacts and effects of the fourth industrial revolution, and also informed the guests of the previous practices and solutions.
During the conference, visitors were presented an exhibition titled “Siemens Fair of technological innovation.” On that occasion all interested parties had the opportunity to try out the equipment that was presented at the Hannover Fair and enjoy a virtual visit to the Masseratti car factory, viewed from 360 degrees with the wind turbines, as well as the virutual tour through the longest tunnel in the world, the famous Gotthard tunnel.