Smart manufacturing does not just mean having a smart factory. It is a significant transformation in the way we source raw materials, manufacture, and market our 

products through horizontal and vertical supply chain integration. It is a profoundly customer-focused concept.

This change is not a one-step process as there are obvious challenges of trust and data security to overcome between diverse parties in the supply chain. 

There are a number of examples of early adopters within the steel industry; especially in vertical integration within business segments where building 

blocks of smart factories are being put together.