When the coronavirus pandemic forced shutdowns across the world, industries faced a disaster unlike ever before. Facilities and IT systems were operational, yet people could not physically access them. According to a 2021 McKinsey survey, Industry 4.0 technologies were a lifesaver, with 94% of respondents saying they helped keep operations running and more than half (56%) reporting they were critical to doing so.
COVID-19 put Industry 4.0 and digital transformation into third gear, while preparing enterprises for the post-pandemic era. However, these technologies depend on connectivity, and legacy solutions such as wired connections or WiFi are not up to the challenge.