Check out ABI Research's IMTS 2024 takeaways here.

The pulp and paper industry is a largely unsung hero in our tech-focused world. However, without the industry, e-commerce would shut down immediately due to a lack of packaging materials. Moreover, paper is a crucial material for tissues, towels, personal hygiene, and medical care products. As for pulp, it’s used for creating plywood, lumber materials, and high-quality papers. Needless to say, pulp and paper producers are here to stay, though the industry is currently in the midst of taking the next step in its evolution.

For a 2025 edition of this topic, the reader is referred to the blog, Digitalization in Manufacturing: 6 Revelations from ABI Research’s Latest Survey.

The benefits of digital transformation in manufacturing should be pretty clear. Like other Industry 4.0 applications, digitally transformed manufacturers possess greater speed, agility, and scale for operations. Equipping plants and facilities with technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and other connected devices unlocks a goldmine of operational information and, ultimately, a competitive edge. Only with a fully digitalized approach can manufacturers defeat the army of challenges confronting them today.

The term “digital twin” gets thrown around casually, but it’s important to recognize the distinction between the different types of digital twins and understand the role of a digital thread.

Industrial digital twins, once rarely discussed among C-level executives, are firmly in the mainstream. This transformative technology is being used to test the waters with new operational approaches and collect real-time data on asset performance. The opportunities of digital twins for manufacturers are exciting.