Now is the time of Industry 4.0, the era of production facilities, storage systems and smart machines that can trigger actions, control other devices and exchange information autonomously without any human intervention.

Industry 4.0 is ongoing, and continually changing the way people work, pulling individuals into smarter networks, increasing efficiency, and digitalising the supply chain and logistics industries.

Commonly referred to as the ‘Digital Revolution’ or the ‘First Computer Era’, and beginning in the 1970s, Industry 3.0 laid the groundwork for modern day machines.

Information Technology and electronics were introduced in many production processes, as the invention of the Programmable Logic Controller and the use of integrated circuitry and transistors lead to greater accuracy, increased speeds, and more competent production results.

These inventions also led to incredibly important derived technologies, including the internet, modern computers, digital cell phones and microprocessors.

Industry 2.0, commonly known as the ‘Technological Revolution’, represents the introduction of electrical machinery, assembly lines, and, by extension, the standardisation of mass production.

Beginning in Europe in the 1870s, this led to improvements in the allocation of resources, output quality and an overall better division of labour.

This era includes the establishment of the first ever assembly line by Ransom E. Olds, the model for Henry Ford’s conveyor belt system.

Industry 1.0, otherwise known as the Industrial Revolution, is perhaps the most celebrated time in Industrial Transformation throughout popular culture, spanning the 1760s to around 1840.

This led to more efficient and cost effective production, with especially significant benefits to be found in the textile and transportation industries.