Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1088168
MARCH 2019 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 25 Barry: China is really driving change at a rate that people don't realize unless you've been here and witnessed it. Otherwise, you have no real understanding of how fast things are evolving. Mauro: They built train transportation that runs from China close to my village in northern It- aly. I'm not joking. Now, you can send goods from my village in Italy by train in two to three weeks, and goods can be brought from Guang- dong to Europe by train in that amount of time. It's much more effective than ships. In a few years, it will be a high-speed train. Barry: DSG has been here since 2005, and you built this factory from an empty lot all the way up. From those 13 years, what's your major takeaway from all of this? Mauro: I've learned many lessons. First, it has been interesting to be in China in the last de- cade. China is maybe the fastest growing coun- try in worldwide history, so has been a big ex- perience. We have to keep up with this growth and move as fast as the economy and envi- ronment. Also, the change in people from 10 years ago is completely different. It's another world. Now, we are more similar to and social like Western countries, the new generation of Chinese are less keen on working in manufac- turing than they were in the past. The other thing that was interesting because the technology was growing very fast is overall industrial setup is changing quickly too. Right now, it's really challenging. We are making a huge $50 million investment to stay in the mar- ket and be competitive, which is a big change. A smart factory is an unbelievable change because it is not just a technical change but also a culture change; it's challenging. This is what the experience has been for me, and it has been interesting playing this game 13,000 kilometers from my hometown and country in a completely different culture. Barry: Extremely different. Well, congratula- tions. It has been a huge success, and it looks like you're on a great path with 4.0—a chal- lenging path because there was not a blueprint already made for you, so you have to create this for yourself. Mauro: You're right. We all have to develop the roads of our own path because when you open that box, you can start and do many things. You have never-ending opportunities with Industry 4.0. It's the first step toward another important industrial revolution in a preparation for the second one, which will be much more critical. We are talking of the quantum computer era, from digital to quantum technology. When that happens, the decisions will move from human beings to a globally connected entity with un- limited access to information which will have much better and faster decision-making capa- bilities. The world will be very different at that time from the one we are experiencing now. Barry: You talked about retiring. Mauro: I am already retired. This is my retire- ment for the time being. Barry: Thank you for your time, Mauro. Mauro: Thank you. SMT007