Press release -  June 28, 2021

Where does industry stand in the digital transformation and which course is the right one for successful implementation? A new study by CONTACT Software, Fraunhofer IPK and VDI will show the current maturity level of industry and offers companies guidance on their way to digital excellence.

The industry is driving digitization with force. The topic is a crucial success factor and has long been at the top of many companies' agendas. Ever better frontloading through more comprehensive product models and simulations, extensively networked production and new digital services mean a new quality of digitization under the buzzword Industry 4.0. With the scope of the measures to be implemented and the required speed, the options for action and the risks are growing simultaneously.

Concepts such as the digital twin, cyber-physical systems, smart products, and the Internet of Things open up new potential – from development and manufacturing to operations. Management and technical experts are faced with the challenge of evaluating the potential and options and mapping them to sustainable strategies along the digital thread.

In order to implement the digital thread and master the increasingly complex processes, industrial companies are pursuing various innovative approaches. However, they usually lack the basis for comparing the progress of digital transformation in various areas with other companies and for assessing their overall level of digital maturity. The new study "The Maturity of Industry on the Road to Digital Excellence" by CONTACT Software, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK and the Association of German Engineers (VDI) aims to determine the status quo of the digital maturity of industrial companies. The project partners are building on many years of scientific cooperation and extensive experience in multidisciplinary digitization research. 

The results can be used to identify any gaps and areas for action in the digital thread, as well as to evaluate digital maturity overall.