Vienna, Austria, 3 July 2026 – To help accelerate the digital and green transformation of small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMEs), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), through the BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies (BCIC), successfully concluded its first Factory of the Future Advisor workshop.
Held from 30 June to 3 July 2026 at UNIDO Headquarters in Vienna and online, the four-day programme brought together 25 SME advisors and industrial experts from across the BRICS network. Participants were trained in the BCIC Factory of the Future methodology, equipping them to support manufacturers on their digital and green transformation journeys.
The methodology provides advisors with a structured approach to assess the digital maturity of SMEs, identify improvement opportunities and develop practical transformation roadmaps aligned with Industry 4.0 principles. Through expert-led sessions and hands-on case work, participants applied the approach to real manufacturing challenges.
"You cannot truly transform a factory simply by shipping it a better machine. Transformation requires advisors who understand both business and technology. This week, we trained the first cohort of BCIC advisors from across the BRICS family, equipping them with our Factory of the Future methodology while strengthening the BCIC network to bring Industry 4.0 solutions closer to the factory floor," said Aleksei Savrasov, Industrial Development Officer at UNIDO and BCIC Project Manager.
Umashankar Prasad, Deputy Director General at the National Productivity Council (DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India), added:
"The UNIDO Factory of the Future workshop reinforced that technology must go hand in hand with operational excellence and a human-centred culture. At the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies, we are committed to applying these frameworks to support manufacturing enterprises in their digital and sustainable transition."
The workshop was facilitated by international experts Sibusiso Japhta Mdakane and Sara Mediavilla. Their expertise spans industrial engineering, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, operational excellence and sustainability.
The pilot workshop also generated expert feedback to further refine the Factory of the Future methodology and its digital assessment tool. The initiative represents the first step towards establishing an international network of Factory of the Future advisors and strengthening practical support for SME transformation across the BRICS family.
Learn more about BCIC by visiting the website: https://bcic-brics.org/
For further information, please contact:
Aleksei Savrasov
Industrial Development Officer – Division of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence