Making AI work on the factory floor

Across Europe’s industrial midmarket, there’s no shortage of AI conversation, but far less real implementation.

Every week brings another headline about generative tools, intelligent automation or self-optimising supply chains. Yet, Forterro’s latest research shows something different: midmarket manufacturers are focused on AI that solves real, everyday problems.

AI reality check

When asked where they expect AI to deliver the most value, firms didn’t point to futuristic ideas, they focused on what’s practical:

• Cybersecurity and risk detection (30%)
• Business analytics and decision support (30%)
• Predictive maintenance and equipment monitoring (28%)

These are operational, measurable areas, places where downtime, defects or delays have an immediate impact on performance. This is what makes the midmarket’s approach to AI refreshing: it’s grounded in the work, not the buzz.

AI depends on cloud and consistency

The same research revealed a significant truth: 49% of firms say their lack of cloud usage means they’re missing out on AI benefits. 

That’s the core of the issue. 

Without cloud ERP as a foundation, data is scattered across systems and spreadsheets, making AI models unreliable or impossible to deploy.

As Marco Metzlaff, AI Transformation Leader at Forterro, explains:

“Consistent and integrated data is essential for both digitalisation and the use of AI. Without it, automation and analytics cannot deliver sustainable value.”

In other words: before AI can work, your data has to.

From pilot projects to performance gains

AI doesn’t need to be a 'big' project.

Many manufacturers are seeing results from smaller steps, predictive alerts for maintenance schedules, smarter stock optimisation or automated anomaly detection in production lines.

These projects are low-risk but high-impact, building confidence and capability over time. And because they’re built on ERP data that already exists, they don’t require a separate data-science team to prove value.

Mind the skills gap

Of course, technology alone isn’t enough.

Only 52% of midmarket firms believe they currently have the right skills in place to adopt AI and other advanced digital technologies.

That’s why training, upskilling and vendor partnerships matter as much as investment.

AI literacy isn’t about writing code, it’s about helping teams understand what data they’re seeing, why it matters and how to act on it.

AI that earns its keep

The industrial midmarket doesn’t have the luxury of chasing trends, every investment must prove its value.
That’s why the most successful firms treat AI not as innovation theatre, but as an efficiency tool: saving hours, preventing downtime and turning data into decisions faster.

AI is not a strategy in itself, it’s an enabler of resilience, intelligence and growth.

And those are the foundations of digital maturity.