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Efficiency.
After resilience, which escaped the realm of physics to gain popularity in the early 2000s, dominating the everyday vocabulary of almost everyone until it became meaningless, efficiency is today’s new watchword in any field: industrial, productive, social, family-related, educational, philosophical.
Making the best use of available resources to achieve a goal – this is the word’s literal meaning – is the cornerstone of Industry 4.0. The mantra for the industry to be sustainable. The imperative for a society that demonises any waste, especially of time, in favour of performance.
This approach translates into the search for ever-increasing technological content, both in everyday life and in the economy.
In recent years, from manufacturing and logistics to agri-food to chemicals, every industrial branch has seen a growing trend towards the research and adoption of more and more advanced technologies, with the primary objective of improving operational efficiency, performance, and profitability while eliminating human error, the unexpected, and chance.
The implementation of digital systems, smart sensors, advanced automation, and data analysis platforms now enables real-time monitoring of processes and performance, reducing waste and downtime, improving product quality, and optimising resource utilisation. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, collaborative robotics, and the Industrial Internet of Things are turning traditional activities into predictive and adaptive processes that anticipate problems and respond quickly to changes in demand.
Even in the ACE (Agriculture, Construction, and Earthmoving equipment) industry, which is widely covered in the pages of this issue of ipcm®, the last for 2025, the focus on technology is getting stronger: drones that map the land and give operators instructions, planting and cultivation machines that combine several work steps in one, sensors and decision support software based on AI, and digital imaging solutions generating information that was previously only available to humans are just some of the innovations and trends presented at Agritechnica, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural technology, which took place in Hanover (Germany) from 14 to 20 November.
It is undeniable that efficiency is part of progress and that, thanks to it, we can produce better, live better, consume less, and be more sustainable. However, it is equally true that eliminating error through standardised procedures can sometimes stifle innovation. Scientific and technological discoveries often arise from the unexpected, from experiments that exceed expectations, from mistakes. Embracing failure as a learning opportunity is crucial for progressing, finding creative solutions, developing new knowledge, adapting, and evolving.
Our wish for ipcm®’s readers in 2026 is to reserve a little space in our daily lives and business procedures for the unexpected and for beauty – values that perhaps contrast with efficiency, yet remain deeply human, fulfilling, and inspiring.
Happy holidays and a happy 2026 to you all!
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