The i4Plas initiative will help plastics processors adopt AI, robotics, IoT and digital twins while improving productivity, energy efficiency and sustainability.
Colombia is set to establish Latin America’s first Digital Transformation Center for the Plastics Industry, an initiative designed to help plastics-processing companies adopt Industry 4.0 technologies and strengthen their productivity and sustainability. The center, named i4Plas, will bring together applied research, industrial pilot projects and technical training.
The initiative is being developed by the Colombian Association of Plastics Industries (Acoplásticos), the Institute for Plastics and Rubber Training and Research (ICIPC) and KERN IoP. It is scheduled to be launched during Colombiaplast, which will take place from September 28 to October 2, 2026, at Corferias in Bogotá.
i4Plas will focus on technologies including the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital twins, additive manufacturing, machine vision and advanced prototyping. These technologies will be applied to help plastics processors move toward smart-factory operations and improve the performance of existing production systems.
The center has been developed in response to several challenges affecting Colombia’s plastics-processing sector, including the need to improve productivity, rising energy costs and shortages of workers with specialised digital skills. A study by Acoplásticos, supported by the Inter-American Development Bank, identified high innovation costs, limited financing and restricted access to technology and training as barriers to digital adoption.
Material waste and unplanned equipment downtime are among the operational issues the initiative intends to address. The project reports that scrap can account for 5% to 10% of out-of-specification parts in injection moulding, while unplanned downtime can cost more than US$400 per hour for an injection-moulding machine.
The center will provide companies with digital-maturity assessments, Industry 4.0 audits and transformation roadmaps. Its demonstration facilities are expected to include digital twins of production lines, collaborative robotics pilot cells and machine-vision systems, alongside services for integrating IoT sensors and energy analytics into manufacturing plants.
i4Plas will also support advanced mould design and additive manufacturing trials for tooling. Training programmes are planned for emerging industrial roles such as plant data analysts, additive-manufacturing technicians and collaborative-robotics technicians. The project will additionally include a digital manufacturing laboratory, training classrooms and spaces for companies to develop collaborative projects.
The initiative also addresses the plastics sector’s sustainability and circular-economy requirements. Colombia’s Law 2232 of 2022, together with international market requirements, is increasing the need for companies to improve resource efficiency and adapt production systems to changing environmental expectations.
The i4Plas roadmap extends over three years and includes plans for a “Fábrica 4.0” laboratory, at least three industrial pilot projects, training for 150 people in analytics and Industry 4.0 maintenance, 50 digital-maturity assessments and 20 transformation roadmaps.
By creating a permanent environment where plastics companies can test digital technologies before introducing them into production lines, i4Plas is intended to strengthen collaboration between industry, research institutions and technology providers. The initiative could provide Colombian plastics processors with a structured pathway for adopting advanced manufacturing technologies while addressing productivity, skills and sustainability challenges.