Global manufacturers are meeting the dual challenges of decarbonisation and increased demand by transforming their sites using smart energy management, circular practices and renewable energy solutions. Gianluca Cassanova, Procurement & Operations Excellence at ABB’s Smart Buildings Division, explains.
Global manufacturers are meeting the dual challenges of decarbonisation and increased demand by transforming their sites using smart energy management, circular practices and renewable energy solutions. Gianluca Cassanova, Procurement & Operations Excellence at ABB’s Smart Buildings Division, explains.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe has re-evaluated its overall security strategy—including how it sources and protects its energy. To reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, the continent is rapidly expanding domestic renewable energy, particularly wind power. However, this transition brings new vulnerabilities, such as physical sabotage and cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure.
Europe’s industrial manufacturers are caught in a bind. Profitability is slipping, productivity has plateaued, and traditional cost-saving levers have lost their edge. But now, Generative AI is emerging as more than a technological trend—it’s fast becoming a strategy for turning the sector’s fortunes around. This became evident in a study, conducted by Strategy& in partnership with VDMA Software and Digitalization, and presented at Hannover Messe in March 2025.
Industrial maintenance has traditionally been reactive—fixing broken pumps,stalled belts, or unplanned shutdowns. But that’s changing quickly. According to the AI-Based Predictive Maintenance Market Report 2025–2030 by Research and Markets, global spending on AI-powered maintenance tools is expected to grow from USD 939.73 million in 2025 to USD 1.69 billion by 2030.
