Nouvelles Usines : L’Avenir de la Fabrication Appartient aux Visionnaires

Innovations have not only changed products but also manufacturing halls. Images of classic factories with rows of machines operated by workers are rare and are only shown in cases of the collapse of old companies that have not technologically innovated and adapted to Industry 4.0. While the old ones are collapsing and going into history, new factories somewhat resemble spaceships where robots and other automated machines perform tasks. In this new technological self-sufficiency, humans are in retreat, and their presence is almost insignificant. The present and future of manufacturing, which is no longer a dirty sector, rests on new technologies. But they are not enough on their own – new factories must be ready at all times to respond to challenges in uncertain business conditions. If climate change is added to this, the uninterrupted operation of factories also depends on the environment, which is why their designers must be not only creatives and futurists but also somewhat meteorologists.

The factory halls of the future must be more sustainable, resilient, and ready for change. Meeting these requirements is a challenge for designers who, in addition to being creative, must keep pace with innovations in the construction industry, know new materials, and have some knowledge of manufacturing processes. The rapid advancement of technology and changes in global economic dynamics have led to a profound transformation of the manufacturing sector. After a slowdown during the coronavirus pandemic, an annual growth rate of 3.57 percent is expected until 2028. As this sector continues to recover, manufacturers strive to be as resilient as possible to sudden changes in the global economy.

Smart Factories

Companies have relied on traditional supply chains and manufacturing ecosystems for decades, but the coronavirus pandemic and challenges such as wars have accelerated the search for more agile solutions like smart factories. The global market for such factories is expected to reach nearly $322 billion by 2032. They are emerging in developed countries around the world and are following five of the latest trends and strategies to face challenges while also seizing the opportunities they bring.

The first is that smart, automated factories are to be more efficient and flexible, quickly changing manufacturing processes as needed. Their advantage lies in the digitalization of processes, so companies investing in digital transformation and smart factory technology can reap significant benefits – they can improve product quality and automate processes and quality control measures driven by artificial intelligence (AI). In smart factories, machines operate almost flawlessly, and performance ensures product consistency. Additionally, machine learning can predict and detect defects or errors in the system before they become critical. Other advantages include increased efficiency due to optimized production lines, real-time data analysis, and sustainability.

Predictive Maintenance

The second trend is predictive maintenance, which uses sensors that continuously monitor the condition of equipment, allowing for the prediction of machine downtime and timely prevention of damage. The cost of downtime due to ineffective maintenance can be very high. Large factories lose 323 production hours per year due to this, and the average cost of lost revenue, monetary penalties, worker downtime, and restarting production lines amounts to $532,000 per hour, which totals $172 million per year per factory.

Predictive maintenance can result in a 40 percent reduction in maintenance costs, a 70 percent reduction in downtime, and an increase in overall equipment effectiveness of 25 to 30 percent. Therefore, the market value of predictive maintenance is expected to grow to $15.9 billion by 2026.

Reshoring

However, no matter how smart a factory is, it cannot operate without raw materials, which is why challenges in the supply chain have revived reshoring – bringing production back home. According to a report by The Reshoring Initiative, in 2022, there were over 364,000 reshoring events in the USA, which is 53 percent more than in 2021. The advantages of reshoring include reduced transportation costs, better quality control of products, and greater control over manufacturing processes. For example, Apple has brought some of its production back to the USA to strictly control the quality of its products. Additionally, reshoring can significantly shorten the time from production to market, allowing for quicker responses to market changes. This trend is expected to continue as companies seek to become more resilient and less vulnerable to global crises affecting supply chains. Another important trend is the availability of workers, of which there is an increasing shortage in the market, which is why manufacturers are retraining them to overcome the labor shortage, which should also be considered when designing new factories. Finally, but by no means less important, is the sustainability of production, or carbon neutrality.

Resilience to Change

According to data from the World Economic Forum, one-fifth of global carbon emissions come from manufacturing, which consumes 54 percent of the world’s energy resources. Transitioning to carbon neutrality involves introducing energy-efficient technologies and optimizing processes, which reduces energy consumption and other costs. Therefore, the future of manufacturing belongs to visionaries. Manufacturers must recognize the potential of smart factories and leverage advanced technologies to optimize operations and achieve a competitive advantage, while their designers must shape all this into an acceptable project.

The lifespan of products, as well as the processes and equipment used for their production, is significantly shorter than the lifespan of the manufacturing hall. This means that the function of the factory is likely to change several times during its assumed lifespan. Designing factories to be adaptable would extend the lifespan of the construction and its components, reducing the demand for raw materials for building new structures, the need for energy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Factories of the future aim to effectively cope with uncertainty, so the manufacturing system must be adaptable and strongly resistant to multiple scenarios. Along with high productivity and efficiency, there is a strong focus on safe working conditions and good space utilization.

The Campus in Kerestinec

Architect Marko Dabrović, co-founder and senior partner of 3LHD, the studio that designed the Rimac Campus, believes that such campuses are the future of industrial plants.

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—– Our approach is based on integral thinking about the entire campus, not just individual buildings. The main goals are to create architecture that positively impacts the people working there by ensuring natural light, excellent ventilation, top working conditions, safety, and sustainability. We take into account flexibility for future development by setting a set of rules so that the factory can transform while retaining its design qualities. Energy efficiency is crucial because factories are large consumers of energy – says Dabrović.

According to him, the design and construction of the Rimac Campus were complex. They utilized BIM technology and the Croatian collaboration platform VOLUM3 for the cooperation of all participants, from investors, designers to contractors and supervision.

The Rimac campus in Kerestinec near Sveta Nedelja is valued at 200 million euros and is considered one of the largest construction investments in Croatia. The production facilities occupy 77 percent of about 200,000 square meters of total area and 95,000 square meters of working space. Although it was supposed to be completed already, work is still ongoing. Mate Rimac stated that the construction will cost as much as 300 million euros, which is 100 million euros more than previously announced.

– We believe that campuses like Rimac’s are the future of industrial plants. Such an integrated environment enables better collaboration between different sectors within the company, fosters innovation, and creates a more pleasant working space for employees. It allows for better adaptation to changes in technology and business needs, making them more sustainable and long-term solutions – says Dabrović.

Efficiency, but also Comfort

The 3LHD studio for the design of this campus competed in an international competition against companies with vast experience in designing factories.

– Although 3LHD dealt with this typology for the first time, our vision integrated the entire Rimac Campus into the environment, particularly emphasizing the relationship with the topography and the proximity of the Erdödy castle. We created a public space with an artificial lake as a focal point between the castle and the production and office building. The production and offices are connected by a restaurant hidden under a green roof, which contributes to better views from the castle. All buildings in the Campus are inspired by speed and freedom of movement. The internal road around it is designed as a racetrack that can also be used for testing cars. The campus is unique because it reflects the key values of the Rimac company: speed, balance, growth, openness, and community – explains Dabrović, emphasizing that in the design of industrial plants, flexibility of space, sustainability, and integration of new technologies are increasingly emphasized.

– Production facilities are becoming more sophisticated, with greater automation and intelligent production management systems. Greater attention is paid to creating a pleasant working environment that encourages productivity and employee satisfaction. For example, in our project, we placed a large atrium with trees and a relaxation area at the center of the factory. The key advantages of the Rimac Campus are flexibility and a focus on people, who are the greatest asset of all companies – says Dabrović, adding that the industry is changing rapidly, and technological processes are constantly improving, which requires a space that can adapt to these changes.

Sustainable construction, reducing carbon footprints, and using renewable energy sources are becoming priorities in modern industrial facility design.