Implementing Industry 4.0 in the cement industry: a proposed framework

Although Industry 4.0 provides opportunities to increase efficiency, optimize processes, and enhance sustainability, prior studies largely rely on maturity models and implementation frameworks focusing on discrete manufacturing, hindering the application of these frameworks to process-intensive industries such as cement. This study addressed this shortcoming by proposing a novel implementation-oriented, industry-specific framework tailored to the structural, technological, and operational characteristics of the cement industry. Using a systematic literature review based on the ProKnowC method, we identified that maturity models lack actionable pathways for transitioning toward structured technology deployment. Similarly, existing implementation frameworks do not adequately address the specificities and constraints of the cement industry, such as continuous production flows, high energy consumption, and legacy systems. This study contributes by proposing a novel framework that integrates maturity assessment concepts with implementation-oriented mechanisms adapted to continuous-process industries and provides practical guidelines. However, the framework remains untested, although testing scenarios are proposed.