New program helping manufacturers capture business value from big data

News Release, Wednesday September 23, 2015, Government of South Australia

The State Government has launched a $240,000 program to encourage local companies to explore opportunities for using ‘big data’ to improve productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. 

The Big Data Connect Program will be delivered over a twelve-month period by the Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre. 

‘Big data’ refers to the process of collecting, organising, and analysing large amounts of data to discover patterns and other useful information in order to make better decisions.  

Manufacturing and Innovation Minister Kyam Maher says today, businesses have access to more data than ever before, from sources such as customer and consumer surveys, to smart sensors and production data. 

“According to IBM, 90 per cent of the data in the world right now was created during the past two years,” he says. 

“New processes to capture and analyse big data are emerging all the time, and this Program can help companies understand and apply these to create and capture more value. 

“The Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre has been specifically chosen to deliver the Program and translate its advanced knowledge in big data and data analytics to South Australian industry.” 

Innovative examples of big data use include: 

• a US website that combines public information, municipal tree inventories, maps, and street tree data bases to provide an interactive map telling people where apple and cherry trees in their neighbourhood might be dropping fruit 
• an app for hipsters (or those that want to avoid them) that searches major cities by words used in reviews – such as “hipster” – then plots the location of those words in red; the darker the red, the higher concentration of that word used in reviews.  

Minister Maher says the Big Data Connect Program is offered on a competitive basis, and is aimed at businesses that have little or no experience with big data, as well as those who already undertake some data analysis. 

“The Program aims to raise awareness of big data and how manufacturers can use the technology to increase their competitiveness and profits and create new business opportunities,” he says.  

“Big data analytics is one of six future technologies the State Government is exploring through the Manufacturing Technologies Program, including additive manufacturing, advanced materials, advanced robotics and automation, photonics, and digital technology.” 

For more information on the Program visit: www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/manufacturing

 

Media contact: David Heath - 0409 558 111