Last week, over 170 participants attended a procure.ch Expert Talk on the topic of "Digitization of purchasing - status quo? Purchasing quo vadis".

Industry 4.0 is changing the world of work in companies as a result of the new digitalization thrust. All functional areas along the value chain will have to reposition themselves.

Digital transformation is indispensable for businesses that intend to remain relevant in the near future. Given the prevailing macroeconomic conditions, businesses will likely continue facing unique challenges and opportunities to evolve in 2023. Amidst inflation, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, they can expect to tackle issues on multiple fronts, including the supply chain, increasing customer expectations and sustainability, to name a few.

Clean hydrogen’s diverse applications have made it a critical pillar in the transition to net-zero. While the market for clean hydrogen is growing, it is not increasing fast enough to meet the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.

Experts at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have pioneered the world’s first ethical algorithm for autonomous vehicles, which could see autonomous driving become the norm globally.

Whether building new production lines or converting existing internal combustion engine assembly plants to produce electric vehicles, automakers need a broad array of flexible, open and proven automation technologies.

We expect 2023 to be a pivotal year for the industry, as the accelerated acceptance of virtual care and demographic trends, such as an aging population, increasing chronic illnesses and healthcare worker shortages, sustain demand for medtech-enabled solutions.