The importance of Digital in the Cluster’s strategy
The importance of Digital in the MecaTech Cluster’s strategy is continuing to grow and has taken shape around three levels of action, to wit:
- A policy to promote the use of digital in products developed and sold by members of the cluster (all businesses included: maintenance, automotive, medical devices, connected objects, etc.) (demand side)
- Digitisation of industrial processes in order to improve quality, productivity and competitiveness (demand side)
- Development of new skills in companies specialised in the digitisation and automation of companies (supply side), particularly SMEs. The skills to be provided include: simulation, automation, high computing, big data, additive manufacturing, sensors and actuators, intelligent maintenance, microelectronics, power electronics, microfluidics and the digitisation of integrated chains.
The “digitisation of the industrial fabric” must be based on stronger cooperation between “traditional” and specialised companies for better matching of the demand for digitisation with the competence available in Wallonia.
The MecaTech Cluster is launching a new regional programme to do just that: Factory 4.0.
The goal is to accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs by providing them with a clear and concrete understanding of the priority changes to make in their strategies. Based on this action plan, the MecaTech Cluster will identify partners who can provide the skills required and the best financing options to implement the action plans.
The programme is financed entirely by the European Regional Development Fund (Interreg France Wallonie Vlaanderen GotoS3) and Wallonia to the tune of about ten days per company.
The MecaTech Cluster is also taking part in awareness-raising and promotional actions initiated by the “Made Different Digital Wallonia” programme coordinated by Wallonia’s agency for digital affairs Agence Wallonne du Numérique. Discover the challenges and testimonials of companies using these technologies.
