Deloitte Canada’s new smart factory showcases interconnected ecosystem of solutions

Deloitte Canada recently opened its “The Smart Factory @ Montreal”, a facility showcasing an interconnected ecosystem of more than 20 solutions and technologies and intent on transforming manufacturing and warehousing through digital transformation.

“As Canada’s largest professional services firm, we care about the future of the country,” says Anthony Viel, chief executive officer of Deloitte Canada. “We believe that projects like this will fundamentally transform our economy – and society – and set Canada on a better path. We are proud to leverage our globally recognized expertise in warehousing and manufacturing to establish this unique and innovative facility. By combining Deloitte’s consulting expertise with valuable software and equipment donations from leading-edge sponsors, The Smart Factory @ Montreal is showing how Canada can lead in the fourth industrial revolution.”

Inside Deloitte Canada’s The Smart Factory @ Montreal (Photo: Deloitte)

Spanning over 9,000 square feet, The Smart Factory @ Montreal is designed to showcase the possibilities of automation to run production lines, efficiently store and move inventory, as well as track inbound and outbound shipments. In its first year of operation, the company expects the facility to draw hundreds of national and global business leaders to expose them to revolutionary ways of working in order to maximize efficiencies.

According to the 2022 Material Handling Institute’s Annual Industry Report released in collaboration with Deloitte, the top three supply chain company challenges faced by businesses are potential supply chain disruptions and shortages, hiring and retaining qualified workers and customer demands for faster response time. The Smart Factory @ Montreal leverages the latest technologies and practices to address these challenges expeditiously and at optimum cost to clients.

Using cutting-edge industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, robotics, internet of things (IoT), big data, cloud and edge applications, The Smart Factory @ Montreal demonstrates how digital supply networks are transforming supply chains away from siloed functions into an interconnected ecosystem that is both seamless and transparent.

“Canadian businesses tend to be sized for the Canadian market but are often competing against multinationals that have extensive resources and sophisticated systems,” says Alan Taliaferro, Deloitte partner and project leader for The Smart Factory @ Montreal. “This space provides an opportunity to support Canadian businesses by enabling them to learn about, and experiment with, an array of live smart technologies in a fully automated factory and warehouse. By setting stretch goals and embracing change, Canadian businesses will have the opportunity to learn how to achieve a competitive edge in both local and global markets.”

The Smart Factory @ Montreal is supported with technological solutions provided by Cisco, Cloudrail, Cosme, CPP, E2 Solutions, EYESEE, Finloc, GKC Architects, KPI, Noovelia, NuMove Robotics & Vision, Pacefactory, Packpro, RG Group, SAP, Siemens, TeamViewer and Vecna.