INDUSTRY 4.0 IN ROMANIA - A PRACTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE COUNTRY POTENTIAL FROM ECONOMIC AND HUMAN RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CEMENT SMART FACTORIES

The actual focus on sustainable development based on a circular economy, moved in a new economic era, Industrial Revolution 4.0. Although in the last decade, some of the EU27 countries have taken important steps towards this new industrial transformation, there are still many aspects to be clarified with regards to how Romania is prepared for these changes. Thus, this paper has analyzed the situation of our country from the point of view of economic and human resources, in perspectives for Industry 4.0 and how this can support the sustainable development of local smart cement factories. For this purpose, 41 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), grouped by five areas of interest, have been used to analyze the information available in the EUROSTAT databases. Results showed that Romania needs to further adapt its transition strategy to Industry 4.0 to remain competitive on the European industrial market, including the cement industry, given the need for more efficient use of existing resources, solving social-economic problems, and protecting the environment.