4 motors for the European Industry 4.0
This strategic partnership initiative is proposed within the call for expression of interest of the European Commission aiming at developing European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Smart Specialisation Investments. This partnership focuses on thematic areas from the S3 Platform Industrial Modernisation.
The Four Motors for Europe is a cooperation founded in 1988 that gathers four European regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Baden-Württemberg, Catalonia and Lombardy. Together, the Four Motors have 36 million inhabitants and represent 6.78% of the European GDP (1.249 billion Euros). The cooperation involves other regions (“associates”) with a similar profile, namely, Flanders (Belgium), Wales (UK), Malopolska (Poland) and, more recently, Quebec (Canada).
Under the 4M Chair of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region, the event “Industrie 2020 First” was held on June 15th 2016 in Lyon and gathered more than 600 participants. At this occasion the working group “4 Motors 4 Industry of Future” was created bringing together clusters, innovation agencies, experts, technical centers. Since the start of this working group, workshop sessions have been organised to set up an Action Plan to promote coordination actions in the field of Industry 4.0., with strong supports of the Regions: Regional Authorities have a key role to play not only to support inter-regional collaboration, but also as Managing authorities of ESIF in the framework of S3 strategies as well as leaders/participants to S3 Platforms including the S3 Platform for Industrial Modernisation.
A partnership of relevant clusters and other organisations from the 4 Motors Regions and the associated region of Flanders has been set up: Plastipolis, Viameca, Minalogic (Auvergne Rhône-Alpes), AFIL (Lombardy), microTEC Südwest, Bwcon (Baden-Wurttemberg), Eurecat, CEP, Clúster Digital de Catalunya (Catalonia), Flanders Make (Flanders).
This ‘core group” of Regions have been enlarged to others territories already collaborating with the 4M4IoF regions, North-West (Romania) and Centro (Portugal), with 2 clusters (Cluj IT and Pool-Net) bringing added-value to the existing consortium. This initiative stems in the belief that the cooperation model developed by the initial members of the partnership can be extended, with the purpose of creating new synergies among the members. A spill-over effect is expected where less developed regions benefit from the experience of the more developed ones, while the later find new sources of innovation and platforms for cooperation.
The challenges of Industry 4.0 are among the top Smart specialization primary domains of each 4 motors Regions as well as for North-West Romania and Centro Portugal and have been identified as the most relevant for profiling this interregional strategic cluster partnership. Among these challenges, Smart Manufacturing has been selected as a common interest scope for developing coordination but also joint initiatives and projects.
With the purpose to foster and strengthen this joint vision and dynamics of inter-regional cooperation, the clusters and organizations involved in this initiative are pleased to submit an expression of interest for developing a European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Smart Specialisation Investments to increase European industry competitiveness. It will support the implementation and synergies of the research and innovation strategies of the associated regions.
The 4 motors for the European Industry 4.0 strategic partnership aims to develop joint roadmap and projects in key and specific area of the Industry of the future Smart Manufacturing, including Production upscaling of new materials, Industrialization of innovative processes, Smart product design and production, Enabling technologies for “4.0” machines and processes, New business models for growing markets.
It will aim at developing the following actions:
1. Connection to the different “Industry 4.0” regional Alliances or working groups
2. Connection and coordination of each “industry 4.0” regional S3 activities (Mapping of priorities, Identification of common interest thematic, link competences, Action Plan)
3. Interregional Joint roadmap on industry 4.0
4. Strategic Innovation Schemes & Regional Policies coordinations
5. Common projects tools (Matchmaking activities, Project financing schemes)
Letters of supports for this strategic partnership and its scope have been obtained from the regional authorities (Auvergne Rhône Alpes, Lombardy, Baden Württemberg) and from regional development agencies (Catalonia, Centro Portugal, North West Romania). These letters have been joined in Annex in this Concept Note.