Situation
In manufacturing, real efficiency comes from the convergence of the business goals and the process operations; closing the gap between the shop floor and the business systems. In this manufacturing realm, technology is an important business driver. Growth in the tech-savvy customer base, increased data availability and information content requirements, and ubiquitous speed oriented Internet-connectivity are among the challenges facing manufacturing companies. Others including globalization, increased competition, shrinking margins, and product commoditization are causing headaches for every CEO in industry.
Only by integrating business and manufacturing processes can companies gain the agility they need to respond quickly to customers; and, to improve line-of-business performance. Technology advances and device proliferation has created the prospect of direct access to information, any time, any place, and on any device. However, with it comes the opportunity to deepen customer relationships, grow revenue, and cut wasteful costs.
But perhaps the biggest disruption to the business environment is the pace of change. The market leaders distinguish themselves through the rapid and innovative use of technology to improve their customers’ experience. The consequences of being late to serve customers with a product or service, or to provide employees with collaborative capabilities, are amplified in the speedy culture. So, how do you compete in this rapidly changing market landscape?
Challenges and Opportunities
The instant sharing of data is critical to fast and accurate decisions throughout manufacturing operations. Collaboration is a popular subject in business solutions, and key to successful collaboration is tight integration between business objectives, manufacturing capability and production output.
The future of manufacturing belongs to the most agile organizations—the ones that are best at collecting and distributing real-time or near real-time information (automate), quickly transform information into actionable knowledge (visualize), and collaboratively turn knowledge into swift, efficient action (optimize).
Automate
The ability of technology to create knowledge is what creates value. Vital knowledge to a line-of-business manager comes in the form of accurate manufacturing information relating to operating rates, process efficiency and effectiveness, production output all contributing to profitability and available at a moment’s notice. Forwardlooking, global corporations need tools to be more flexible and responsive, in order to maximize their profitability.
Enabled. Manufacturing is a complex process. To do it with maximum efficiency requires the coordinated efforts of multiple individuals in multiple departments — and often multiple locations as well. By involving your directly accessing system and device information, and by collecting manual data where appropriate, manufacturers are constructing an integrated and collaborative organization.
Connected. For manufacturers, success is derived from having the power to make better decisions faster, connect across the supply chain, and give customers what they want, when and where they want it. Gain the competitive edge by using a suitable technology platform to connect inside and outside your enterprise.
Mobile. To get maximum value from the information locked away in their processes and core systems, manufacturers must make that data easily available to the interested party, whether that’s on the plant floor or in a boardroom. And by replacing clumsy, often inaccurate paper-based business processes with device-based solutions, companies can realize immediate productivity, data quality, and cost & revenue improvements.
Visualize
Information is the currency of business. Yet most manufacturers lack the means to effectively organize and distribute the information their employees need to make quick, smart business decisions. Further, more often now customers are too asking for access to reports and quality certificates before accepting a shipment of goods from your manufacturing site.
Empower employees. Knowledge workers right down to the shop floor need the tools to gather and share information about production and quality, collaborate across organizational boundaries, spot trends, forecast events, and respond to new opportunities quickly.
Improve operational efficiency. Improving efficiency has been the mantra of manufacturers for decades. Efficiency comes in many forms, and increased access to information enables you to make quality decisions quickly and to service the customer with certificates of quality awareness.
Optimize
Optimize your Business Intelligence. Increased competition is forcing manufacturers to focus, more intensely than ever, on customer satisfaction and retention. At the same time, economic conditions are putting pressure on manufacturers to increase the efficiency of their operations.
Your company is likely overflowing with data. To compound your frustration, there are countless sources and types of data; real-time production, product, and quality data, discrete data covering orders, materials, crews, shipments, inventory, and of course costs and revenues. Further, the data is contained in a variety of systems and devices and manually collected by shop floor staff.
Focus on information. Competitive forces and heightened customer expectations are pressuring all organizations to introduce new products and services when and where their customers want them. The key to success is the flexibility to respond to what customers will need next.
What most managers want, and what most managers need is a single access point. They want relevant, factual information from all of the previously unavailable sources and they want it in a common environment. They likely don’t really care if the information comes from a typical paper report or from an ERP system or PLC device, they just want it available.
Achieve Agility
By working with a technology platform that reflects the need of the on-line working world and customer base, you enable your business and your operating staff in one seamless environment. The technology platform you choose will ensure flexibility, scalability, and the interoperability of systems.
Your employees need the ability to interoperate with disparate computer systems across the operating spectrum and the ability to leverage their legacy systems and access reports quickly, easily, and flexibly. They need the ability to adapt to production changes quickly and intelligently. They need to enable their core assets for maximum business value.
You want to make it easy for your employees to act – solve problems quickly and efficiently, and in the manner you want. The mandate needs to be easy to understand and transparent to them – to minimize disruption, to increase intuitive understanding, and to focus on the highest value activities. It is the job of the business line managers to set the employees up for success.
The ability to manage information better and deliver superior speed-to-performance is what inprove Inc. and our incite platform can provide to the manufacturing industry.
About Us
Vice President, inprove Inc.
At inprove Inc., we support and enhance our clients own CI efforts by formulating and delivering HONEST and ACTIONABLE information via our incite Platform so they can get BETTER results and build CONFIDENCE in their improvement efforts.
inciteTM is designed by continuous improvement professionals for continuous improvement professionals. The catalyst for us was years spent working with, and being frustrated by, organizations’ inaccessible, incomplete and inaccurate performance data. Now with extensive experience in delivering HONEST data and ACTIONABLE information to operations and CI managers, we have re-invented the CI model.
Our inciteTM platform gives our clients the ability to collect information from any and all systems and devices and bring it to a single platform that not only highlights the controllable elements of performance, but integrates accurate performance data with action planning. The inciteTM Platform delivers the full spectrum of automated, manual and behavioral measures needed to know what is going on, and gives you the operational line of sight you need to focus employees on actions and resolution. inciteTM reinforces your CI practices and allows you to ultimately to change behavior on a sustainable basis.
For further information, contact Greg via email or visit www.inproveinc.com.