Deloitte Canada unveils smart factory and warehouse

Montreal, January 26, 2023 – Deloitte Canada opens The Smart Factory @ Montreal, a first-of-its-kind facility showcasing an interconnected ecosystem of more than 20 cutting-edge solutions and technologies and intent on transforming manufacturing and warehousing through digital transformation.

“As Canada’s largest professional services firm, we care about the future of the country,” says Anthony Viel, chief executive officer of Deloitte Canada. “We believe that projects like this will fundamentally transform our economy - and society - and set Canada on a better path. We are proud to leverage our globally recognized expertise in warehousing and manufacturing to establish this unique and innovative facility. By combining Deloitte’s consulting expertise with valuable software and equipment donations from leading-edge sponsors, The Smart Factory @ Montreal is showing how Canada can lead in the fourth industrial revolution.”

Spanning over 9,000 square feet, The Smart Factory @ Montreal is designed to showcase the possibilities of automation to run production lines, efficiently store and move inventory, as well as track inbound and outbound shipments. In its first year of operation, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to draw hundreds of national and global business leaders to expose them to revolutionary ways of working in order to maximize efficiencies.

According to the 2022 Material Handling Institute’s Annual Industry Report released in collaboration with Deloitte, the top three supply chain company challenges faced by businesses are potential supply chain disruptions and shortages, hiring and retaining qualified workers, and customer demands for faster response time. The Smart Factory @ Montreal leverages the latest technologies and practices to address these challenges expeditiously and at the best possible cost to clients.

The report also shows that the pandemic has accelerated supply chain transformation for 78 per cent of companies, particularly for those operating in the realm of e-commerce. Several use cases shown in The Smart Factory @ Montreal will address this challenge and identify potential technologies to lead in this space with affordable investments.

“Today’s customer expectations are higher than ever before,” says Geneviève Provost, Managing partner, Quebec and National Capital Region for Deloitte. “With increasing access to information, products, and services, consumers have come to expect a seamless and personalized experience throughout the entire buying journey. By implementing advanced technologies, businesses can improve their efficiency and speed of execution, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience by providing faster delivery times, accurate tracking and inventory management, and overall improved satisfaction. We are thrilled to have this facility located in Quebec, which is expected to attract visitors and business leaders from around the world and boost our local economy.”

Using cutting-edge industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, robotics, internet of things (IoT), big data, cloud and edge applications, The Smart Factory @ Montreal demonstrates how digital supply networks are transforming supply chains away from siloed functions into an interconnected ecosystem that is both seamless and transparent.

Operating in real-time with the additional information provided by accelerated connectivity, these new dynamic manufacturing and warehousing digital networks strengthen supply chain agility and empower companies to make rapid and optimal decisions.

“Canadian businesses tend to be sized for the Canadian market but are often competing against multinationals that have extensive resources and sophisticated systems,” says Alan Taliaferro, Deloitte partner and leader, The Smart Factory @ Montreal. “This space provides an opportunity to support Canadian businesses by enabling them to learn about, and experiment with, an array of live smart technologies in a fully automated factory and warehouse. By setting stretch goals and embracing change, Canadian businesses will have the opportunity to learn how to achieve a competitive edge in both local and global markets.”

The Smart Factory @ Montreal is supported with leading technological solutions provided by Cisco, Cloudrail, Cosme, CPP, E2 Solutions, EYESEE, Finloc, GKC Architects, KPI, Noovelia, NuMove Robotics & Vision, Pacefactory, Packpro, RG Group, SAP, Siemens, TeamViewer, and Vecna Robotics.

Explore The Smart Factory @ Montreal.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories bringing world-class capabilities, insights, and service to address clients’ most complex business challenges. Deloitte LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

Our global Purpose is making an impact that matters. At Deloitte Canada, that translates into building a better future by accelerating and expanding access to knowledge. We believe we can achieve this Purpose by living our shared values to lead the way, serve with integrity, take care of each other, foster inclusion, and collaborate for measurable impact.

To learn more about Deloitte’s approximately 330,000 professionals, over 11,000 of whom are part of the Canadian firm, please connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

The Smart Factory @ Montreal
Additional background

• The 9,000 sq. ft. facility is in the borough of Ville Saint-Laurent in Montreal, Quebec.
• In addition to its manufacturing showcases, The Smart Factory @ Montreal is the world’s first smart warehouse experience and home to intelligent Industry 4.0 technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, big data, cloud and edge applications, robotics, vision solutions, and more.
• The Smart Factory @ Montreal joins Deloitte’s global network of state-of-the-art facilities located in: Dusseldorf (Germany), Wichita (USA), and Kyoto (Japan).
  
• By implementing smart factory solutions, a $4 billion manufacturing business for example, could increase annual revenue by $1.7 billion.
• The facility has already established collaboration agreements with Centre d’expertise industrielle de Québec (CEI) and with PME MTL Centre Ouest to support local companies.
• In addition, The Smart Factory @ Montreal plans to work with local universities to prepare the next generation workforce and pilot new innovations by students and researchers. These educational opportunities will address the growing talent gap in the tech sector.

End-to-end smart warehousing and manufacturing use-case technologies:

• Private 5G network
• Automated tote storage and retrieval
• Goods-to-robot unit picking
• Automated no-void packing
• Smart receiving
• Augmenter reality picking
• Smart conveyance
• Touchless cycle counting
• Smart Factory Great 8 use cases
• Command center and digital twin
• Autonomous pallet handling