The EEF manufacturing group (www.eef.org.uk) has teamed up with US-multi-national computer-technology specialist Oracle (www.oracle.com/corporate/index.html) to help businesses prepare for the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ (4IR).

According to the EEF, eight out of 10 UK manufacturers say this will be a reality within 10 years, driven by digitisation, Big Data and other rapid advances in technology.

The two organisations will explore these themes, beginning with a number of focus groups involving manufacturers around the UK — leading to an Executive Report that will help industry leaders to identify the key barriers holding business back, as well as providing practical guidance on how manufacturers can adapt and implement new technologies in a way that suits their individual businesses.

EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler said: “This collaboration is an important step forward in providing our sector with ‘thought leadership’ plus practical support and guidance ahead of the biggest industrial transformation of our time.

“It is vital that British companies are able to fully realise the opportunities and stay at the forefront of 4IR. This will require increasing levels of collaboration between our two sectors, so I am delighted that Oracle will help us engage and inform manufacturers on this crucial theme.”

Mark Newton, vice-president of applications at Oracle UK, said: “The British manufacturing industry has always kept up with the pace of innovation, but the advent of the 4IR marks one of the biggest technology-driven shifts in modern times.

“Working together with EEF, we seek to give manufacturers both the information and the practical paths they will need to successfully navigate the changing technology landscape.”