“Why should a company that builds industrial machines and plants implement an Industrial IoT solution?”

This is a question we are asked often, and it’s no surprise. Most of the time, those asking already know part of the answer but are looking for confirmation. In an era where digitalization has been discussed for decades, it’s no longer an option, it’s a necessity for every company in the machinery sector. The risk of falling behind is real, and gaining a strategic position in the market without the right tools, like Industrial IoT, is a tough challenge.

But what is the real key to success in this sector? The quality of the machines is no longer an added value; it’s a must-have. What truly makes the difference is the ability to build deep and lasting relationships with customers. Loyalty: that’s the magic word. It’s not enough to meet current needs. You must anticipate needs that even the customers themselves haven’t identified yet, what are academically called latent needs. This is the secret to staying not just relevant, but indispensable.

Imagine for a moment being able to know exactly how your machines are used every month, every day, every hour, once they leave the factory. Every piece of data, every operation, every anomaly, all available in real time and recorded. This is where Industrial IoT (IIoT) comes into play. With an advanced IIoT solution, you’re not just monitoring the performance of your machines. You’re building a strong and lasting bridge with your customers, using a preferred channel. In practice, you’re saying: ‘We are here for you, ready to act even before a problem arises.’

Thanks to IIoT solutions, you can collect valuable field data, spot operational anomalies, and act promptly, sometimes even before the customer notices that something is wrong. For example, if the system detects that a component is nearing the end of its life cycle, it’s quick and easy to suggest preventive maintenance, avoiding costly machine downtime. It’s not just an added value, it’s a transformation in the way you build relationships with your customers.

This creates a true win-win relationship. On one side, you as the supplier have the opportunity to act quickly and precisely, with access to crucial data that allows you to offer tailored solutions. On the other side, the customer benefits from more reliable machines and a significant reduction in costs related to downtime. It’s a winning strategy for both sides.

The benefits of IIoT: not just information, but solutions

When it comes to IIoT, the benefits are many and tangible:

• Remote Real-Time Plant Monitoring: Imagine having an immediate view of your plant’s operating conditions, wherever you are. With push notification systems, you’ll be alerted instantly to any anomalies, reducing downtime and allowing you to act promptly.
  
• Machine Performance Analysis: You not only monitor performance in real time but also have access to historical data that helps identify areas for improvement, optimize resource use, and enhance customer relationships.
  
• Telemetry-Based Diagnostics: How much data is generated by an industrial machine but never used? By leveraging data collected from sensors and remote devices, you can accurately monitor and analyze plant operating conditions, reducing the risk of unexpected failures.
  
• Maintenance Management: By understanding your customers’ activities in detail, you can plan more effective maintenance interventions, reducing downtime and optimizing costs.
  
• Energy Consumption Management: Monitoring energy use isn’t just about sustainability; it provides precise information for more efficient resource use, lowering operational costs.
  
• Integration with Third-Party Platforms: Integration with systems like CRM allows you to create a central customer platform, making information more accessible and opening a direct communication channel, improving relationship management and customer satisfaction.
  
• Integrated Access to Technical Documentation: Centralize knowledge and avoid searching through manuals and technical specifications. With an integrated system, all necessary information is just a click away.
  
• Automatic Reordering of Spare Parts: Integrating an e-commerce spare parts system with your IoT platform allows automatic reordering of components, reducing downtime, improving service performance, and optimizing customer inventory management.

Beyond simple data collection: towards a personalized service

Now, a clarification: collecting data is only part of the picture. Focusing solely on this is not enough to secure a strategic position in the market. In recent years, even customers have started using tools to collect production data and measure machine efficiency.

So, what sets you apart? The answer is simple: services. This is where a machine builder can make a difference. It’s not enough to know the data, you need to use it to offer services that anticipate needs, solve problems, and build trusted relationships

In conclusion, adopting an Industrial IoT solution is not just a technological step, it’s a long-term strategy to ensure that the company not only survives but thrives in an increasingly competitive market. When used correctly, data becomes a valuable asset, capable of generating real value for both the company and its customers. In this context, innovation is not an option, but a necessity for those who want to be leaders in the industry.

40Rocket: how we support machine builders

How do you approach this new way of ‘doing business’? The answer lies in understanding a fundamental shift: customers are no longer looking just for efficient machines, but for partners who can create tailored solutions to meet their specific needs.

This paradigm shift led us to create 40Rocket, a Business Unit entirely dedicated to this purpose, led by Marco Bressanello, an expert in innovative strategies and servitization with years of experience at a major packaging multinational.

Thanks to Marco’s vision and the dedicated Business Unit, we now provide specialized consulting to more than 45 clients from a wide range of sectors. 40Rocket doesn’t just address the main challenges of bringing solutions to market; it actively supports clients in creating new service-focused business models, drafting contracts, defining legal terms, providing technical, service, and sales training, and enhancing communication and marketing strategies.

But what exactly are the services that make 40Rocket truly indispensable? Let’s find out together!

Road to Servitization

Considered as the shift from selling a product to providing an integrated solution that combines products and associated services, servitization breaks the traditional patterns of the customer–manufacturer relationship. We support companies in defining the requirements for a medium-term path aimed at improving service performance, identifying new intermediate and advanced services enhanced by digital technologies.

Servitization, what does it mean? In the past, plant management was entirely the responsibility of the user, as were the investments needed to maintain its condition and operation. Under the new paradigm, the machine builder takes on part of the user’s risk, providing their know-how and assuming a share of operational responsibility.

Customers, in turn, benefit from this transformation through enhanced value propositions. Instead of a simple one-time transaction, they gain access to a range of services that improve the performance, lifespan, and efficiency of the purchased assets, through periodic fees over a medium- to long-term period.

With a structured approach, we support you on the path to servitization, spreading the necessary company culture and creating business opportunities for the launch of new contractual offerings.

The first step to take is:

• Conduct an internal company analysis: evaluate the potential of serviceable plants, including knowledge of the active installed base and its geographic distribution. This allows you to precisely define the areas on which to focus resources.
  
• Identify opportunities to define new customer-oriented service strategies: analyze how many plants in the installed base can be used to offer services and to what extent. It is also useful to monitor how often customers request support, in order to assess their level of autonomy and optimize service strategies

Understanding which services to develop in order to offer enhanced proposals to customers represents the second step towards servitization. This requires a customer-oriented approach, which involves understanding their specific needs and how they use the plants.
This phase may involve an organizational change in terms of resources, partners, and skills.

Legal Consulting

Defining legal terms is essential when creating new service contracts, particularly regarding data sharing and responsibilities between suppliers and end customers.

In this area, our consulting, supported by a specialized law firm, provides reliable guidance for drafting agreements that not only ensure protection but also facilitate a smooth transition to the provision of digital services.

With over five years of experience and a template refined with input from more than 20 clients, our contract definition process is based on a well-established model adapted to specific needs.
The contract governs crucial aspects such as data ownership, cybersecurity, responsibilities, infrastructure, and service conditions, regardless of the pricing or the delivery methods of the IIoT solution.

Starting to offer solutions without having defined clear and transparent terms can mean closing the door to providing those solutions to customers.

Training

Managing IIoT solutions requires specific knowledge, and proper training of internal resources is essential.

• Technical Training: One of our main goals is to make our clients’ staff as autonomous as possible in managing the configuration and connection of new assets to the IIoT solution. For this reason, we offer training on technical aspects related to the MAT application (including Machine Learning and AI in industrial contexts), as well as on-the-job training for Application Engineers, allowing them to gain autonomy through hands-on experience in creating data models and machine templates.
  
• Sales & Service Training: Selling a machine is very different from offering digital services. The goal is to prepare professionals to effectively present and negotiate digital and advanced services, providing a solid understanding of the principles and challenges involved, while anticipating potential customer questions.

Cybersecurity Consulting

The implementation of IIoT solutions opens up new opportunities for efficiency and innovation, but it also introduces potential security risks. To address these challenges, we collaborate with certified third-party partners who carry out regular assessments and penetration tests on both the customer’s IIoT cloud tenant and Edge device.

We provide comprehensive documentation, including detailed pentest reports, provider security certifications, test results, and identified vulnerabilities, all ready to be shared with end customers during the proposal phase.

Marketing Consulting

Every major innovation deserves to be communicated effectively, both to stakeholders and customers. This requires updating your marketing and communication strategy.

We are here to support you in this as well, helping create promotional materials and providing the direct presence of a team member at your event or trade show booth.