Debate between Henkel and Yzer on industry 4.0:

When it comes to Berlin's future as a business location industry 4.0 is still at the top of the agenda. Manufacturing and value chain processes are increasingly becoming digitised, for example by using interconnected 3-D printers. Senator for Economics Cornelia Yzer and Senator for the Interior Frank Henkel discussed opportunities and risks related to industry 4.0 during an event in July, which was jointly organised by the Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research, Fraunhofer IPK Institut für Produktionsanlagen und Konstruktionstechnik and KMPG AG.

Cornelia Yzer highlighted the opportunities that the digital transformation can offer, while pointing out that this was “the greatest change” the economy had to go through since the Industrial Revolution. According to her it is now the government's responsibility to support this development. “Creating a competitive digital infrastructure that will continue to promote innovation and the digital transformation in Berlin will be a key factor in the long run,” Yzer said. In this context, she referred to the <link http://www.digitale-vernetzung.org/>Leistungszentrum Digitale Vernetzung</link>, as a beacon of excellence, where the four Fraunhofer Institutes in Berlin pool their resources. In collaboration with industry partners the Institutes carry out research on new technologies and solutions to digitise and interconnect all areas of life.

Point of contact for those affected by cyber crime
Senator for the Interior Frank Henkel identified “cyber crime” as the greatest risk for digitised companies. On a positive note, he said that Berlin has two commissioner's offices responsible for cyber security within the state criminal office which makes it a force to be reckoned with. Companies attacks can turn to a central point of contact within the office when they have fallen victim to cyber attacks. Henkel also said that as companies become more and more digitised key factors such as “reliability, quality and robustness of IT systems” are gaining importance.

In addition. startups as well as established companies – all of them pioneers in the field of 3-D printing – presented their solutions and products as part of the event.