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Operational excellence and efficient, reliable, safe production are always top of mind for chemical company executives. And digital technology is beginning to play a pivotal role in plant operations.
That perspective is a key finding from recent Accenture research that explored chemical industry executives' views of smart sensors, cloud, artificial intelligence, analytics, wearables and other digital technologies in a plant environment.
The research took place at a time when there is a growing understanding of the real value inherent in the digital reinvention of industry. For example, Accenture has determined that using technology to increase operational efficiency could save $91,261 per chemical company employee, on average. And according to a study by the World Economic Forum and Accenture, the broader use of digital technology could bring the industry a $550 billion benefit over 10 years—while reducing C02 emissions by 100 million tons.
This study of digital technologies within plant operations provides a perspective on where the industry is today and where it plans to go in the future—and offers insights into how chemical companies can focus their efforts on their digital journey. Key findings include:
To ramp up their digital efforts, chemical companies should consider six key business imperatives that can help guide their plans: