The global manufacturing sector is approaching a fourth industrial revolution—one marked by interconnectivity, digital convergence, automation, and sustainability. Whether through robotics, industrial IoT, additive manufacturing, immersive technology, sustainable materials, or green energy sources, manufacturers are increasingly looking to leverage data, analytics, networks, and technology to optimize productivity, streamline supply chains, automate processes, and manage spending. This cyber-physical transformation of manufacturing is what proponents refer to as industry 4.0, a term that originated in 2011 but a movement that has been progressively unfolding since the advent of partial automation in the 1970s.

In this Edge Insight, we focus on five global industrial manufacturing innovators that have pulled ahead in their efforts to implement industry 4.0—Siemens, General Electric (GE), Schneider Electric, ABB, and Hitachi. These companies are listed on the Fortune Global 500 and represent diversified manufacturers of industrial machinery, many of which also offer power products, automation technologies, and energy solutions across the value chain.