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Embracing automation and digitalisation - a global solution to labour shortages














The challenges of labour shortages, especially of skilled labour, are not unique to Germany or the printing industry. Developed and ageing economies around the world are facing similar circumstances. The European Commission, for example, predicts that while overall population growth will stagnate, the proportion of people aged 65 and over will rise from 20 to 30 per cent by 2050. Businesses therefore need to adapt to these changing circumstances and develop strategies to deal with them. A study conducted by the F.A.Z.-Institut for Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG highlights the strategies being pursued by German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and provides insights into how automation and digitalisation can help SMEs to adapt.

Lack of skilled labour hampers business opportunities

The results of the study reveal a clear trend: automation and digitalisation are no longer optional, but essential for survival in today's economy. In the study, nine out of ten German SMEs report a skills shortage, with almost half experiencing a serious impact on their business. This reflects wider global challenges as industries struggle to fill critical roles amid changing demographics.

For the printing sector, companies such as Heidelberger and others at #drupa2024 showed how automation can help address this shortage. They are already tackling the issue by providing all kinds of automation solutions from prepress to postpress and everything around it. The introduction of advanced technologies in print shops, such as the implementation of robotic systems that work alongside human operators, helps to streamline workflows and reduce dependency on large numbers of staff. Automation therefore helps companies maintain or increase productivity. But it also redefines jobs, making them more attractive to a wider range of workers. For example, companies can use automation to improve routine processes and focus their workforce on higher-value tasks.

Big hopes for AI

In conjunction with automation, the role of digitalisation is equally critical. The study found that 74 per cent of German SMEs see digitalisation as a solution to staffing challenges, with 67 per cent citing artificial intelligence as a particularly effective tool. In general, digitalisation is seen as a way to improve operational efficiency, enhance decision making and increase resilience to labour shortages. While the benefits are clear, the journey to adopting these technologies isn't without its challenges.

High costs, bureaucracy and resource constraints often hinder progress, according to participants in the German study, where seven out of ten SMEs rated German companies' digitalisation efforts as mediocre at best. Three strategies in particular could help overcome these barriers: Partnering with technology providers can help businesses adapt scalable, affordable tools. By advocating for policies that encourage digital transformation, such as subsidies or tax breaks, they can secure government support for their modernisation efforts. And by investing in training and upskilling programmes to prepare employees for a more technology-driven workplace, they can ensure that their workforce has the necessary skills to operate efficiently in the new environment.

Automation and digitalisation: A shared responsibility

To remain competitive in the face of chronic skills and labour shortages, SMEs need to embrace digitalisation and automation. Some 91 per cent of SMEs surveyed agreed that Germany's economy is not competitive without digitalisation and automation, so German companies say they have a lot of room for improvement. The tools, from artificial intelligence to digitalisation and automation, are becoming more sophisticated and easier to implement. B2B platforms for consumables and service parts, software for controlling the entire workflow in the printing process, and web-based remote diagnostics for press maintenance are just a few examples that are already on the shelf.  But you need the vision to use it. Visitors to drupa were able to catch a glimpse of a future that is just around the corner.

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