Brazil has the potential to become an innovation hub in sectors such as agribusiness, healthcare, financial services, and deep-water oil exploration.
Manufacturing transformations driven by emerging technologies are already underway, reshaping the economy and social structures. Today, everyone is talking about the advent of Industry 4.0, but what does it actually represent?
Can companies truly become more agile and flexible? Where does Brazil stand in this innovation landscape? Will this evolution lead to job losses?
The ABES portal interviewed Luiz Egreja, head of Manufacturing Solutions at Dassault Systèmes—an association member—to discuss this topic and the company’s plans for the domestic market.
According to the executive, the 4th industrial revolution is “first and foremost a strategic issue, as it addresses company competitiveness within an increasingly dynamic and aggressive business environment,” built on the combination of several technologies. Read on:
1. How do you define Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0, or the 4th Industrial Revolution, refers to a novel model of industrial production that leverages cutting-edge technologies to deliver new products and services to the market—often through innovative business models—thereby offering consumers unique experiences in a competitive manner. It encompasses diverse technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing, novel materials, cloud computing, Big Data, and many others, but it is not purely a technological matter.
Above all, it is a strategic priority, as it deals with corporate competitiveness in a business landscape that is increasingly dynamic and intense.
2. What roles do France and the United States play in this technological revolution scenario?
France and the United States, possessing industrial profiles and vocations distinct from Germany’s, are advancing their own Industry 4.0 initiatives with unique characteristics. France focuses heavily on education and workforce training, technology standardization, and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. The United States, on the other hand, concentrates more on processes and business models, fostering innovation through startups.
Since neither country shares Germany’s exact focus, both have established partnership agreements to leverage advancements in Industry 4.0 regarding industrial equipment and automation, while concentrating on developing what they deem priorities according to their own needs and strengths.
3. How does the company view Brazil’s participation in this landscape? Can the country be considered a generator of technological innovations?
Brazil has the potential to become an innovation hub, but certain conditions must be met first. Perhaps the primary requirement is establishing a business environment conducive to innovation—one where established companies, new entrepreneurs, the academic and scientific community, and society at large have access to the right resources and institutional security to invest and take on the risks inherent to innovation. Another fundamental aspect is defining our specific niche as a creator of innovative technology.
No country can lead in innovation across every single field, making intelligent prioritization essential. We believe Brazil can achieve great success by innovating in fields such as agribusiness (spanning the entire chain, from genetic improvement to agricultural equipment manufacturing), financial services, deep-water oil exploration, and healthcare, to name a few. Nevertheless, business models, industrial policies, and innovation incentives still need to be developed or refined. Dassault Systèmes firmly believes in Brazil’s potential to drive innovation across these and other sectors, and we are here to support companies and institutions willing to embark on this journey.
4. How should vertical integration between business and manufacturing take place, from the company’s perspective?
Vertical integration involves creating a network of flexible, easily reconfigurable production systems within factories that can adapt in real-time to fluctuations in demand, product specifications, resource and material availability, or any other unforeseen changes on the shop floor—all while continuing to meet demand within the optimal time, quality, and cost parameters defined by the company’s business systems.
To achieve this, both manufacturing and business systems must become more agile and flexible, exchanging information transparently, bidirectionally, and in real-time. Modularity grants industry the flexibility needed to adapt to required changes and handle last-minute customizations.
5. How does Dassault Systèmes position itself within the Industry 4.0 perspective? What kind of services and support will it offer?
Dassault Systèmes has actively participated in initiatives like Industry 4.0 and Industry of the Future, supporting clients across 12 distinct industrial sectors in over 140 countries. Through this, we have accumulated vast expertise that goes far beyond simply providing our 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support our clients’ business processes.
We also leverage our market expertise to guide organizations in crafting optimal strategies to tackle upcoming industry challenges and opportunities. Our ecosystem of proprietary resources and trusted partners delivers the essential services and training required to seamlessly implement and sustain these solutions. Furthermore, we maintain strong partnerships with academic institutions to help nurture a new generation of professionals, equipping the market with the essential skills and insights needed to turn the promises of this new Industrial Revolution into reality.
6. There are common concerns that technology might cause widespread unemployment. How does Dassault Systèmes view the role of people in the digital transformation of manufacturing?
Every technological shift naturally sparks fears about job displacement, but we believe that jobs and opportunities primarily migrate rather than disappear. For instance, the rise of the automotive industry severely impacted carriage makers, yet those who adapted and embraced the new technology secured even better roles within the emerging industry.
Dassault Systèmes firmly believes that people will play a critical role in this modern industrial landscape. They will act as planners, supervisors, and agile, creative decision-makers—handling the exceptions and non-conformities that automated systems and smart machinery cannot manage autonomously. This evolution demands a new profile of worker: someone adept at problem-solving driven by data insights and prepared to leverage advanced tools like dashboards and operational analytics software. Much like the transition from carriages to automobiles, those who adapt fastest to these new demands will not suffer from unemployment; instead, they will discover outstanding opportunities for professional growth. While this mindset and skill shift won’t be easy and not everyone will succeed, the journey must begin right away.
7. What are Dassault Systèmes’ plans for the Brazilian market?
Dassault Systèmes remains deeply committed to the Brazilian market, just as we have been since establishing our presence here. We believe that the scale of our market, the diversity of our industrial sector, the abundance of our resources, and the natural creativity of the Brazilian people all point toward a very promising future. While we acknowledge the current economic hurdles the country faces, we are confident that Brazilian society will emerge from this period even stronger.
Driven by this vision, Dassault Systèmes has continuously invested in Brazil over recent years—expanding our team, upgrading our facilities and infrastructure, training professionals and partners, and working ever more closely with our clients to implement future-forward industrial concepts today. This proves in practice that we are fully equipped to keep supporting our clients on their journey toward tomorrow.
Source: Abes Software
Also read the article by Teclógica’s Commercial Director, Aloisio Arbegaus: The Impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Business
