Limitless

Automation, digitisation, and robotisation all offer exceptionally practical tools and solutions, also for the food industry. Solutions that will help to increase the efficiency and reduce costs, that will give a better insight into the operational processes, and which improve the working conditions of employees and make their work easier.

Just to be sure that I know what I'm talking about, I study the recently published reports on trends and developments, I watch and listen to discussion programmes and documentaries about Smart Industry, the Internet of Things, blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, and vision technology. As I am doing this, more and more questions pop up.

Because how are we going to deal with the ever far-reaching digitisation of the world we live in? Digitisation makes borders fade; it goes beyond the walls of companies and governments, across countries. We are constantly 'connected' via a wireless web, anytime and anywhere. The developments are succeeding rapidly! As Harry Jekkers of the band Klein Orkest sang in 1984: 'Only the birds are flying from East to West Berlin', and that was only thirty-five years ago. Right now and just as easy, we have countless bits and bytes flying across the world. Data with information about you and me, the neighbours, companies, products, and services. Nearly all of us are blithely using the cloud, the internet, and social media. But who decides what we see when we access these things? And consequently, how and about what are we forming our thoughts and opinions? What do we want to share or rather keep to ourselves?

This is just a few of the questions that keep me thinking. Questions which are also in the minds of the NEN and TNO, because so much innovation requires frameworks, new agreements, and standards to safeguard the security and safety.

Despite all this cyber language, we will keep this edition fun and practical, because there is nothing we like best than sharing practical stories. Stories from entrepreneurs just like you, with tips and tricks that you can use. What developments are well underway and which need some more tweaking? What are the benefits of automation and digitisation in the food industry?

These are the stories that are still printed on paper (even though we use the latest technologies) as the avid readers of our magazine are still very much out there, despite the digital progress. Naturally, we also come in a digital version, which you can find at www.vakbladvoedingsindustrie.nl. Feel free to share the stories any time. Let the bits and bytes fly!