Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing

The report examines the Global Lighthouse Network, a group of 54 leading companies implementing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies at scale. It argues that the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic mandate a 'Great Reset' of industrial operations. The document details four critical shifts: agility and customer centricity (exemplified by Alibaba), supply chain resilience (DCP Midstream), speed and productivity (Johnson & Johnson Janssen), and eco-efficiency (Schneider Electric). These shifts are achieved through the integration of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) data systems and a strong commitment to workforce upskilling and reskilling.

• The Global Lighthouse Network, consisting of 54 sites as of June 2020, demonstrates the successful scaling of Fourth Industrial Revolution technology both within individual factories and across end-to-end value chains.
• The 'Great Reset' in manufacturing is driven by four durable shifts: agility and customer centricity, supply chain resilience, speed and productivity, and eco-efficiency, all of which are essential for sustainability during global disruptions.
• Alibaba's 'Customization to Manufacturing' (C2M) model for SMEs uses consumer intelligence and AI to enable small-batch production, resulting in a 70% reduction in product development lead time and a 40% increase in sell-through rate.
• DCP Midstream improved supply chain resilience and value chain productivity by creating an Integrated Collaboration Center (ICC) and Decision Support System (DSS), which allowed 20 facilities to be operated remotely and generated over $50 million in net income.
• Johnson & Johnson Janssen utilized advanced process control (APC) and multivariant analysis to link R&D with manufacturing, achieving a 20% reduction in costs and a 50% increase in reliability across 20 deployed models representing $16 billion in annual sales.
• Schneider Electric implemented end-to-end IoT and predictive analytics for energy management, leading to a 26% reduction in plant energy costs, a 78% reduction in CO2, and a 20% reduction in water use.
• Successful 4IR transformation requires a combination of advanced digital technology and workforce development, specifically through intentional upskilling and reskilling efforts to keep people at the center of the transition.

APA

World Economic Forum (2020). Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GLN_2020_Four_Durable_Shifts_In_Manufacturing.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing. 2020. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GLN_2020_Four_Durable_Shifts_In_Manufacturing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing |date=September 2020 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GLN_2020_Four_Durable_Shifts_In_Manufacturing.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2020global, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Global Lighthouse Network: Four Durable Shifts for a Great Reset in Manufacturing}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GLN_2020_Four_Durable_Shifts_In_Manufacturing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }