May 11, 2017

Accenture Achieves Lead Position in Winner’s Circle in HfS Blueprint Guide to Industry 4.0 Services

Company rated highest on innovation and execution and investing in innovation

NEW YORK; May 11, 2017 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been positioned in the “Winner’s Circle” as the leader in “innovation and execution” and in “investing in innovation” in the inaugural “HfS Blueprint Guide to Industry 4.0 Services.”

For the report, analyst firm HfS Research assessed Accenture and 11 other service providers on use cases and several end-to-end digitalization process areas to help clients improve productivity on the manufacturing shop floor.

The report’s Industry 4.0 vision covers a variety of manufacturing-related areas, including improving costs, efficiency, time savings and flexibility in manufacturing. Still in its early stages, Industry 4.0 is a smarter manufacturing approach that uses technology to make adaptive and predictive decisions in a digitally connected plant, with an automated centralized control system and minimal human intervention. It includes 13 enabling technologies such as manufacturing analytics, manufacturing Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and automation, 3-D printing and digital clone (or simulation).

The report cited Accenture’s deep understanding of manufacturing clients and its experience in developing Industry 4.0 tools and frameworks. But what differentiated Accenture from the vendor pack was the company’s integration of digital capabilities in Industry 4.0 solutions.

“To be recognized as the Industry 4.0 leader reinforces our commitment to helping our clients advance on their transformation journey, connecting the whole enterprise with digitized production and operations for greater autonomy and flexibility,” said Aidan Quilligan, managing director, who leads Accenture’s Industry X.0 practice, which works with clients on the digital re-invention of industry. “We saw early on how our end-to-end digital capabilities and extensive alliance ecosystem would uniquely help our clients define the future of smart manufacturing. We have since implemented Industrial IoT solutions for clients that have delivered operational savings and process improvements and have grown new revenue streams.”

The report noted Accenture’s strong delivery capabilities across the Industry 4.0 value chain and the focus of its workforce training on emerging technologies, including robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality. Besides global excellence for innovation and execution, Accenture was also recognized for its long-standing strategic alliances with key players in the Industry 4.0 space and its extensive libraries of frameworks, applications and assets built for them.

"Accenture is in the Winner’s Circle of our inaugural Industry 4.0 Services Blueprint Guide because of its strong execution and innovation capabilities," said Pareekh Jain, senior vice president, HfS Research. "Accenture’s broad consulting skills, marquee customer list of more than 500 Industry 4.0 clients and engagements, thought leadership and complex multi-country technology implementation of Industry 4.0 have provided an edge over the other companies."

Information for the report came from vendor briefings, requests for information, vendor case studies, third-party presentations and interviews of enterprise customers and industry experts in the HfS network.

About Accenture.
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 401,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture Digital , comprised of Accenture Analytics, Accenture Interactive and Accenture Mobility, offers a comprehensive portfolio of business and technology services across digital marketing, mobility and analytics. From developing digital strategies to implementing digital technologies and running digital processes on their behalf, Accenture Digital helps clients leverage connected and mobile devices; extract insights from data using analytics; and enrich end-customer experiences and interactions, delivering tangible results from the virtual world and driving growth. To learn more about Accenture Digital, follow us @AccentureDigi and visit www.accenture.com/digital.

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Contacts:

Guy Cantwell
Accenture
+ 1 281 900 9089
guy.cantwell@accenture.com

Matt Corser
Accenture
+ 44 755 784 9009
matt.corser@accenture.com