“The present enthusiasm around 4.0 has definitely opened the eyes of the industry to what is possible,” Antti Koulumies – Vice President, Aluminium Business Line, Outotec & Paul Merlin - Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Aluminium Business Line

Outotec develops and delivers industry benchmark technologies and life-cycle services for their customers in the mining, metal, energy, and chemical sector, helping them improve their profitability in a sustainable way. The metals and mining industry is currently influenced by several megatrends including the Industry 4.0 or the fourth Industrial Revolution. Outotec has been in the forefront of implementing Industry 4.0 in this sector through digitalization and automation. AlCircle spoke to Antti Koulumies – Vice President, Aluminium Business Line, Outotec and Paul Merlin - Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Aluminium Business Line about the implementation of Industry 4.0 framework with special reference to the aluminium sector. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

AlCircle: What does Industry 4.0 mean to the aluminium industry? How can the implementation of its framework help the industry improve efficiency and productivity at a time of economic volatility?

PM: There have been many questions, by some, around the definition of 4.0 and what it really entails including the role of Artificial Intelligence and other initiatives that are just sort of this. Anyway, the present enthusiasm around 4.0 has definitely opened the eyes of the industry to what is possible. For example, advanced data collection and analytics possibilities, significantly improve our knowledge base of what is really happening and under what conditions, which in turn makes it easier to automate, even if done in controlled stages.