‘Industry 4.0’ (or the Fourth Industrial Revolution) refers to the automation and digitisation of supply chains, and includes technologies such big data, robotics, IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, sensor technologies and machine-to-machine communications. RDA Gold Coast recognised that COVID-19 has pushed many businesses to adopt emerging digital technologies out of necessity. The pandemic has also highlighted the pressing need to build less vulnerable, Australia-based supply chains, supported by cross-sector partnerships.
Seeking to build on this emerging technology focus, RDA Gold Coast’s Industry 4.0 project has identified significant Industry 4.0 capabilities across a number of key sectors on the Gold Coast. These include advanced manufacturing, health and medical technology, space and aerospace, textiles, additive manufacturing, food technology, sport and film. Supporting the development of these emerging clusters and attracting complementary supply chain businesses and collaborations will help drive new investment and create the jobs of the future on the Gold Coast.
A practical and immediate outcome of the project was the development of a new Industry 4.0 website for the region, which includes information on grants, opportunities and resources, and a searchable directory of Gold Coast Industry 4.0 users and suppliers, including local tech champions such as Gilmore Space, MEXX Engineering, PWR Advanced Cooling Technologies, Austech VR, Coletek, Materialise, Datarwe and VirtuReal. The directory can be searched by 14 different technology types, and Gold Coast businesses can upload their own details for inclusion. The overall goal is to promote and support technology-based businesses, and see the Gold Coast become a world-class innovation powerhouse.
