Circular Transformation of Industries: Unlocking New Value in a Resource-Constrained World

With an ever-changing landscape in the global economy, industrial companies are forced to rethink their use of resources and their contribution to economic growth. Circular transformation...

Global Lighthouse Network: Shaping the Next Chapter of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

A new chapter of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is under way amid continuing major global disruptions that include soaring energy prices and inflation, talent shortages, supply chain di...

A Global Rewiring: Redefining Global Value Chains for the Future

The global economy has entered a new mega-cycle characterized by value chain disruptions, resource competition, and climate change. Leading manufacturers are re-evaluating and fundamental...

The Future of Industrial Strategies: Five Grand Challenges for Resilient Manufacturing

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge’s Industrial Innovation Policy Group, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, has identifie...

The “No-Excuse” Framework to Accelerate the Path to Net-Zero Manufacturing and Value Chains

While many companies have started their journey towards achieving net-zero emissions, no company can manage the transformation of its manufacturing facilities and value chains alone if bo...

Unlocking Value from Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing

Artificial intelligence (AI) can enable a new era in the digital transformation journey, offering tremendous potential to transform industries for greater efficiency, sustainability and w...

Global Network of Advanced Manufacturing Hubs: Annual Report 2021

The Global Network of Advanced Manufacturing Hubs (AMHUBs) is a community of communities representing industry ecosystems from around the world that come together to address the most pres...

Accelerating the Biomanufacturing Revolution

This report by the World Economic Forum reveals how to accelerate the biomanufacturing revolution and help us address our gravest challenges

The Data-Driven Journey Towards Manufacturing Excellence

This white paper sheds light on best practices and real-life use cases implemented by the leading manufacturers that co-developed and applied the framework across their facilities.

An Additive Manufacturing Breakthrough: A How-to Guide for Scaling and Overcoming Key Challenges

This white paper highlights four best practices and three real-world case studies to show paths for overcoming the prevalent current challenges of Additive Manufacturing.

Augmented Workforce: Empowering People, Transforming Manufacturing

This white paper shows how augmentation technologies assist the workforce to create a future of industrial work that is more productive, accessible, inclusive and sustainable.

Charting the Course for Global Value Chain Resilience 

This paper builds on the previously introduced resiliency compass and presents five distinct profiles of resilience leadership to help manufacturing and supply chain companies confidently...

Advancing the Green Development of the Belt and Road Initiative: Harnessing Finance and Technology to Scale Up Low-Carbon Infrastructure

This World Economic Forum report highlights the finance, technologies and policies required to accelerate the green development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Unlocking Business Model Innovation through Advanced Manufacturing

This White Paper outlines successful case studies from those who have already started to unlock business model innovation through the adoption of advanced manufacturing. It highlights fiv...

Financing Resilience in Post-COVID-19 Manufacturing and Supply Systems

This report examines the emerging financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the financial support activated within manufacturing.

Global Lighthouse Network: Unlocking Sustainability Through 4IR

This paper challenges the notion that environmental responsibility is inherently at odds with productivity and, by extension, profitability.

Digital Traceability: A Framework for More Sustainable and Resilient Value Chains

Leadership teams are facing a pivotal shift. To compete effectively, companies need full visibility throughout their value chains. This paper presents a framework for understanding how tr...

Shifting Global Value Chains: The India Opportunity

In this fast-evolving context, as global companies adapt their manufacturing and supply chain strategies to build resilience, India has a unique opportunity to become a global manufacturi...

The Resiliency Compass: Navigating Global Value Chain Disruption in an Age of Uncertainty

This paper summarizes insights from senior executives and public sector leaders and introduces the resiliency compass, a new framework for organizations to accelerate the resilience-build...

Global Network of Advanced Manufacturing Hubs: Annual Report 2020

The 2020 Annual Report provides an overview of the Global Network, highlights specific initiatives within these regional ecosystems, and provides insights into the Global Network’s collab...

Global Lighthouse Network: Reimagining Operations for Growth

The Global Lighthouse Network welcomes 15 new lighthouses to an inspiring group of organizations that exhibit the essential characteristics of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Data Excellence: Transforming manufacturing and supply systems

Manufacturing industries are on the verge of a data-driven revolution – here’s what’s needed to ensure it results in increased productivity, better customer experiences and benefits for s...

Regional Action Group for Latin America Public-Private Cooperation to Reactivate the Region’s Economy: Critical Industries and Strategic Investments

The Forum has created the Regional Action Group for Latin America, consisting of a committed group of trusted partners, including the foremost CEOs, public figures, civil society represen...

Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing

The World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network comprises 54 leading companies that have succeeded in the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technology at scale, at individual ...

Building Resilience in Manufacturing and Supply Systems in the COVID-19 context and beyond: Latin America Perspectives

This briefing document builds on the Regional Action Group’s insights and on the Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Production activities, and provides ...

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Production: Insights from the World Economic Forum’s Global Network of Advanced Manufacturing Hubs

This paper reflects an aggregate of voices from the Global Network of AMHUBs and focuses on COVID-19’s impact in each region; response efforts from manufacturing and governments; and best...

Winning the Race for Survival: How New Manufacturing Technologies are Driving Business-Model Innovation

Sinking, swimming or surfing: Perspectives on operating and business models

How to rebound stronger from COVID-19: Resilience in manufacturing and supply systems

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Kearney, brought together C-level executives from different industry sectors to identify best responses to the current COVID-19 crisis, in ...

An Open Platform for Traceability: Accelerating Transparency and Sustainability across Manufacturing Ecosystems

While the manufacturing and production sectors comprise 16% of global GDP and are key drivers for economies around the world, the complex network of supply chains on which these sectors r...

Share to Gain: Unlocking Data Value in Manufacturing

To demonstrate the value of data sharing in manufacturing, this white paper examines five main areas where data sharing can help improve manufacturing operations. The paper proposes a fiv...

Global Lighthouse Network: Insights from the Forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Over the past years, a leading group of manufacturers have made impressive progress scaling Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies within the manufacturing plant environment. The World...

3D Printing: A Guide for Decision-Makers

This White Paper provides guidance on how to deal with business and policy challenges as 3D printing (3DP) might revolutionize the way products are made and may provoke unintended consequ...

Global Future Council on Advanced Manufacturing and Production

Technological advances in manufacturing are transforming factories and enabling a new generation of partnerships and business models to drive sustainable economic growth. But how can comp...

Reshaping Global Value: Technology, Climate, Trade – Global Value Chains under Pressure

A New Era of Manufacturing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: $7 Billion of Possibilities Uncovered in Michigan

Recent years have seen Michigan’s economy grow consistently, with its manufacturing industry a main driver of this economic prosperity. The automotive sector has long been a cornerstone o...

Supply Chain 4.0: Global Practices and Lessons Learned for Latin America and the Caribbean

This White Paper is the product of a joint effort by the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Economic Forum’s System Initiatives on Shaping the Future of Production and Shaping ...

Leading through the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Putting People at the Centre

Fourth Industrial Revolution trends are disrupting long-established business models. Growing demand for customized products. Shifts and skill mismatches in production value chains. Digiti...

Fourth Industrial Revolution: Beacons of Technology and Innovation in Manufacturing

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with McKinsey and Company, has identified 16 “Manufacturing Lighthouses”; production sites which are world leaders in the successful adoption an...

Shaping the Sustainability of Production Systems: Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for competitiveness and sustainable growth

The future of manufacturing is at an inflection point. Consumers are demanding personalized products and services, instantly fulfilled. Industry incumbents are racing to adjust to this ne...

The New Production Workforce: Responding to Shifting Labour Demands

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has transformed production industries with breathtaking speed and scale. Driven by macro and industry trends, global production value chains are shifting,...

Driving the Sustainability of Production Systems with Fourth Industrial Revolution Innovation

This white paper serves as a guide for optimizing the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in production, helping countries and businesses identify ways to transform their product...

The Next Economic Growth Engine: Scaling Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in Production

After a decade of stagnated productivity, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is expected to create up to $3.7 trillion in value by 2025. Technologies such as the internet of things, advance...

Readiness for the Future of Production Report 2018

Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Supply Chains

The products that consumers demand, factory processes and footprints, and the management of global supply chains are being re-shaped to an unprecedented degree and at unprecedented pace.

Readiness for the Future of Production: Country Profiles

The nature of production is undergoing unprecedented change as new technologies transform cost structures, make new business models and methods of production available, and bring entirely...

Technology and Innovation for the Future of Production: Accelerating Value Creation

Shaping the Future of Production: Four Contrasting Perspectives in 2030

The transformative potential of technology in production systems is widely recognized, even while the precise configuration and extent of the possible transformation remain unknown. Produ...