Recently, with its outstanding leadership in the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technology, Midea Group's residential air conditioning factory in Nansha, Guangzhou, was selected as the latest "Lighthouse Factory" by the World Economic Forum (WEF). As a new member of the global lighthouse network that "illuminates the path to the next stage of normal development of the manufacturing industry", Midea Group has once again demonstrated its extraordinary intelligent manufacturing strength to the world, and its outstanding performance in streamlining operations and improving efficiency has set a new benchmark for the transformation and innovation of global pan-manufacturing enterprises.
Hailed as the guiding light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Lighthouse was selected by the World Economic Forum in partnership with McKinsey, one of the world's leading management consulting firms. As demonstrators of "Digital Manufacturing" and "Globalization 4.0", the companies on the list have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the large-scale adoption of new technologies, and have excelled in the transformation of traditional production methods, the innovative design of the entire value chain, and the creation of emerging business models with the potential for disruption.
In the face of the impact of the new crown epidemic, how to improve the sustainability, competitiveness and customer satisfaction of enterprises in the face of adversity is a common concern of the industry, and the selected companies in this era undoubtedly provide an example for the world to get out of the new crown epidemic crisis and gradually move towards recovery. The World Economic Forum has announced a total of 10 new lighthouses, bringing the total number of members in the world's leading smart manufacturing company to 54 members.
As the World Economic Forum commented: "In the face of fierce competition in the home appliance industry and the rapid development and increasing complexity of the e-commerce sector, Midea Group has leveraged the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology to realize the transformation and upgrading from an automated factory to an end-to-end connected value chain."
It is understood that relying on its own leading industrial Internet platform, Midea has opened up online and offline with the T+3 order model as the traction, and realized the combination of five dimensions: digital operation of the whole value chain, intelligent scheduling, industrial AI, full-process digital logistics management, and Internet data SaaS platform, creating a 28% increase in labor efficiency, a 14% reduction in unit costs, and a 56% reduction in order delivery timeAs a result, it has achieved a qualitative leap in improving its own performance and helping customers succeed.
It can be said that the transformation of the Guangzhou factory is a microcosm of Midea Group's strategic transformation of digital intelligence in the past eight years, and it is also the fruit of Midea's true user-centric and data-driven connection of the entire value chain operation.
Fang Hongbo, Chairman and President of Midea Group, said at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Global Lighthouse Factory Network on September 17: "Midea Group has shortened the order delivery time by 56%, thanks to the application of a large number of Industry 4.0 technologies and digital intelligence technologies. By combining digital and intelligent technology, we have optimized the operation of the entire value chain, connecting the entire production system with retailers and warehouses in every corner of China's 9.6 million square kilometers, so that products can be loaded and shipped to all parts of China after they come off the production line, which greatly improves efficiency. ”
The digital and intelligent transformation of the manufacturing industry is unstoppable. Midea Group, which originated from the manufacturing industry, is still sparing no effort to promote the transformation of "comprehensive digitalization and comprehensive intelligence", continue to consolidate and give full play to the advantages of the trinity of "software + hardware + manufacturing knowledge", and help itself to further grow into a world-leading technology group, while empowering more pan-manufacturing enterprises to upgrade and transform, and truly realize the vision of "perfect science and technology, perfect life".
Reference source: Midea Group's official account https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xmtLazTGp_MkApIwIhFLGQ