Industrial operations optimization:
How private 5G, digitalization, and connected workers are transforming industry 4.0

In a constantly evolving industrial landscape, manufacturing companies face a dual challenge: remaining competitive while ensuring the safety and efficiency of their operations. Industry 4.0 is no longer just a theory; it’s a reality materializing through key technologies like private 5G and process digitalization. Discover how these innovations, supported by platforms like Team on mission, are turning factories into smarter, more secure, and higher-performing environments, placing connected workers at the heart of this revolution.

Summary

The challenges of operational performance in the manufacturing industry

In manufacturing, operational performance isn’t just about producing faster and better. Today, it determines a company’s competitiveness, profitability, and even long-term viability. Every minute of production downtime can represent thousands of euros or dollars in losses, not to mention the indirect impacts: delivery delays, contractual penalties, reduced customer satisfaction, or damage to brand image.

At the same time, pressures are mounting: increased safety requirements on industrial sites, stricter regulations, rising raw material costs, and growing complexity from integrating new technologies.

To address these challenges, manufacturers must act on several fronts: reducing downtime, improving multi-site coordination, strengthening safety, and accelerating decision-making.

It’s in this context that the digitalization of industrial processes, real-time coordination, and critical communications offered by Team on mission, combined with the connectivity of a private 4G/5G network, become major drivers of digital transformation.

The pillars of industry 4.0: process digitalization, it/ot integration, and private 5G

Process digitalization: Towards dematerialization and centralization

Process digitalization involves replacing paper-based procedures and manual exchanges with dematerialized and centralized information flows. This structural shift allows for gains in speed, digital traceability, and reliability.

With Team on mission, every process becomes digital and manageable in real-time. Technicians receive work orders directly on their devices, can update them in the field, attach photos and videos, and automatically generate a digital report. This data centralization solution eliminates information loss and enables more precise execution of operations.

Key benefits of industrial process digitalization:

  • Instant access to the latest information.
  • Reduced risk of errors thanks to standardized procedures.
  • Complete traceability for audits and regulatory compliance.

IT/OT integration: The key to smart management

The line between IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) is disappearing in smart factories. According to a MarketsandMarkets report, this revolution is expected to propel the global market to $155.5 billion by 2026. IT/OT integration directly connects management systems (ERP, MES, CMMS) with machines, sensors, and production controllers.

Team on mission integrates with these IoT platforms and IT/OT systems to automate processes and work orders, simplify incident management, and ensure end-to-end tracking until resolution. For example, if a temperature sensor detects an anomaly, the IoT platform can automatically trigger a intervention order in Team on mission, notify teams, share procedures to follow, and generate a fully traceable report.

Key advantages of IT/OT integration:

  • Predictive maintenance and reduced unplanned outages.
  • Automation of certain actions for greater responsiveness.
  • Detailed traceability and reports to optimize operational performance.

Private 5G networks: The secure connectivity at the heart of factory performance

To support industrial digitalization, accelerate automation, and ensure operational continuity, connectivity must be fast, reliable, and secure. A Grand View Research report indicates that the global private 5G network market is expected to reach over $100 billion by 2030. This is where a private 5G network for industry makes the difference: unlike public networks, it is completely isolated, company-controlled, and tailored to specific needs.

Private 5G unlocks the full potential of real-time transmission for critical data, industrial critical communications via voice, video, and PTT, operational reports, and other advanced use cases. With near-zero latency, teams can coordinate instantly, share HD inspection videos, or benefit from remote supervision to guide an on-site operator.

Main strengths of private 5G networks:

  • Maximum security with an isolated, encrypted, and company-controlled network.
  • Unmatched reliability, even in complex or high-interference industrial environments.
  • Support for critical applications: predictive maintenance, video assistance, remote supervision, and process automation.
STREAMWIDE Check-list

Is your company ready for Industry 4.0? Check if your technological infrastructure meets these criteria:

  • Fast and secure connectivity: Do you have a reliable network, like private 5G, for your critical data?
  • System convergence: Do your IT and OT systems communicate for effective predictive maintenance?
  • Tools for field workers: Do your teams have a unified solution for coordination and safety?

If the answer is no to any of these points, it’s time to rethink your digital transformation.

benefits of digitalization with Team on mission and private 5G

Reduced downtime: The impact of predictive maintenance

The ability to react quickly to an incident is essential for maintaining a high level of operational performance. With Team on mission, data from IoT/OT sensors is leveraged in real-time to automatically generate a work order addressed to the concerned team before the situation escalates.

This anticipation enables immediate intervention planning while mobilizing the closest and most qualified resources. Integrated video assistance, combined with multimedia messaging tools, facilitates the resolution of complex problems, even when experts are remote, which reduces delays and prevents prolonged shutdowns.

Enhanced industrial site safety and compliance

Accident prevention and incident response rely on rapid detection and effective coordination. Team on mission integrates advanced LWP/DATI (Lone Worker Protection) features that automatically detect dangerous situations and transmit the exact location of the person at risk. The relevant teams are immediately alerted to intervene quickly and limit the incident’s impact.
Additionally, the platform provides dedicated tools for industrial crisis management:

  • Real-time alerts via predefined forms.
  • Access to critical procedures and documents through a digital crisis briefcase.
  • Structured action tracking to ensure the right processes are applied.

The integrated digital traceability then simplifies audits and strengthens compliance with current regulations while offering valuable feedback to improve future prevention efforts.

Reduced operational costs and accelerated ROI

By centralizing communication, planning, industrial operations management, and reporting into a single platform, Team on mission reduces reliance on multiple systems and applications. This simplification leads to lower hardware investments, maintenance expenses, and training costs. Companies benefit from a unique tool that is easier to manage and more cost-effective in the long term.

Accelerated decision-making via real-time data

In an industrial environment, responsiveness is directly linked to the availability and reliability of information. Team on mission provides decision-makers with real-time field data, enriched by critical communications.

Clear, remotely accessible digital reports allow for a quick analysis of the situation and the most relevant decisions. This ability to act quickly and with clarity directly contributes to the overall performance and safety of the company.

STREAMWIDE Advice

To succeed in your industrial digitalization, don’t settle for an isolated solution. Look for a platform that integrates all your needs: critical communications, work order management, and team safety. A unified and centralized approach, as offered by Team on mission, is the key to achieving a genuine return on investment.

Contact our experts for an audit of your operational needs.

Concrete scenarios and use cases: The Team on mission solution in action

Butachimie – Safety, data protection, and digital transformation on a Seveso Site

Butachimie, one of the world’s largest producers of adiponitrile, is subject to strict requirements as a Seveso site. To modernize its operations and enhance the safety of its teams, the company deployed Team on mission on its private 4G network.

Our platform unified critical communications, solving the problem of outdated TETRA/DECT systems. TOM‘s implementation enabled Butachimie to secure its industrial processes with key features like real-time geolocation, the emergency alert and protection system (LWP/DATI), push-to-talk, and live video assistance. The company was thus able to ensure better data protection and strengthened resilience against incidents.

→ Read the use case

Synthron – Critical communications and regulatory compliance

Synthron, a key player in the chemical industry, sought to improve the traceability of its operations to meet strict compliance requirements. To solve this problem, our Team on mission solution was implemented to centralize critical communications. Instead of relying on isolated systems, Synthron used our platform to collect, trace, and archive every action. TOM‘s integration not only ensured full compliance during audits but also allowed for optimized incident management and better decision-making.

Read the use case

Elkem Silicones – Multi-site coordination and resilience

For a global leader in fully integrated silicone manufacturing like Elkem Silicones, harmonizing coordination across multiple industrial sites was a major challenge. The Team on mission solution was chosen to unify and centralize communication and intervention management across all its production sites. By providing teams with access to real-time information, our platform improved their responsiveness and ability to make decisions quickly. TOM’s implementation thus strengthened the group’s operational resilience against unforeseen events while boosting overall productivity.

Read the use case

Conclusion: Private 5G, at the heart of industry 4.0

The optimization of industrial operations is no longer a simple option; it is a strategic imperative to remain competitive. Private 5G, digitalization, and IT/OT integration are not just technologies—they are the pillars of a profound transformation that is redefining the modern factory. By adopting solutions like Team on mission, companies give themselves the means to reduce costs, enhance safety, and accelerate decision-making. This technological revolution places the human element at the center, empowering field workers to be more connected, more efficient, and ready to meet the challenges of Industry 4.0.

Take the step toward a modern and digital industry

To discover how Team on mission can transform your industrial operations by combining digitalization, team coordination, optimized operations management, and personnel protection.

FAQ | Industrial operations optimization

Q1: How does private 5G help reduce downtime in a factory?

A private 5G network offers ultra-reliable, low-latency connectivity, which is essential for transmitting critical data in real time. This allows IoT sensors to detect anomalies and trigger predictive maintenance even before a failure occurs. This helps to anticipate incidents, quickly mobilize qualified teams, and significantly reduce production downtime.

Q2: What are the benefits of IT/OT integration for a smart factory?

The integration of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) creates a continuous flow of data between machines and management systems. This convergence enables centralized supervision, process automation, and precise tracking of every operation. The result is optimized operational performance and better responsiveness to incidents.

Q3: How does process digitalization improve industrial safety?

By replacing manual procedures with digital workflows, process digitalization improves digital traceability and reduces human error. Systems like Team on mission integrate LWP/DATI features that automatically alert in case of danger, ensuring a rapid response. This strengthens on-site industrial safety and compliance with regulations.

Q4: Why choose a private 5G network over a public network for industry?

Unlike public networks, a private 5G network is completely isolated, secure, and controlled by the company. It guarantees maximum reliability, even in high-interference environments, and near-zero latency, which is essential for critical industrial communications and live video assistance. It is the pillar of a secure and high-performing digital transformation.

Q5 : How can multi-site team coordination be improved?

Multi-site coordination is a major challenge. A centralized platform like Team on mission allows for consolidating all communications, intervention planning, and operational tracking. Teams, whether on-site or remote, have access to the same real-time information, which improves responsiveness and strengthens operational resilience.

Q6 : How are "connected workers" a key challenge of Industry 4.0?

Connected workers are at the heart of Industry 4.0. Equipped with digital tools, they are no longer just executors but active participants in performance. They instantly access information, share real-time data, and benefit from remote supervision. This increases their productivity, enhances their safety, and contributes to better decision-making at all levels.

Do you have other questions?

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