Contextualizing Industry 4.0 in the Pulp and Paper industry : A case study at Stora Enso

Abstract: Leading industrial nations invest to try to increase advanced manufacturing and innovation to catch up in a free-market world. One common vision for these investments has been Industry 4.0. In short can this topic be described as the internet moving into the industry. The concept is relatively new and has become one of the most discussed topics during the last couple of years in many manufacturing conferences. However, the industry is so far lacking a clear definition of the concept, and much of the focus is on laboratory experiments rather than industrial applications. The research that has been conducted so far has not involved the process industry, where this thesis will operate. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of how Industry 4.0 can be related to the pulp and paper industry by contextualizing the concept, and function as a “door-opener” for further research. Potentials, sustainability aspects and a concrete example has been used to comprehend this. The study has been designed with a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews at the specific case company Stora Enso, Skoghall. As the concept of Industry 4.0 not yet has an explicit definition the start of the thesis was therefore to create a theoretical framework of the theory to relate to during the rest of the study. The findings of the research show that Industry 4.0 in the pulp and paper industry focuses on Availability through possibilities of prediction and response improvement. The concept should emphasis on keeping the production ongoing with fever break-downs and increased Quality of the products. Communication improvements will be essential in reaching the new industry level, with connecting the whole plant as a crucial part. The thesis contributes with a first insight to what Industry 4.0 will mean to the pulp and paper industry and how it contextualizes in the sector.