Even though a myriad of digital processes have been introduced across many industries in the UK economy, a recent report indicates that at least 96% of UK manufacturers believe there is an underinvestment in technology and digitisation in their sector.
Manufacturers have been historically hesitant to embrace and adopt new technologies and processes. If you think back to the 1990s when the manufacturing landscape was rapidly changing and the industry outlook was bleak at best – conditions at that time forced manufacturers to be more reactive rather than proactive. And, that’s still part of the problem today with some manufacturers.
All the while, supply chains were going global and increased competition led to aggressive cost cuts for suppliers. Labour disputes were on the rise and manufacturers found themselves dealing with extensive layoffs.
Of course, those turbulent times being faced by manufacturers would shape the industry for years to come but because of this, manufacturers today are far too focused on bottom-line margins and upholding revenue during difficult times – competition is extremely unforgiving and price cuts are unavoidable, so that seems like the logical thing to do, right?
This made them quite sceptical of new technologies or processes that ‘promised’ to optimise things but didn’t immediately show them any quantifiable and instant ROI – many manufacturers were of the opinion that technology trials were nothing more than glorified and expensive science projects that boasted a lot of positive numbers, but no proven outcomes.
On the upside, enterprise technology has advanced a lot since the 1990s, although many of the same industry obstacles and challenges plague the manufacturing industry even to this day: supply chain uncertainty, labour woes, and dwindling profit margins.
It’s interesting to note how certain manufacturers took a different approach this time when dealing with the above issues, especially after the onslaught of the pandemic, where industry leaders realised the value of technology and digital tools ahead of time.
Many UK manufacturers, if not the vast majority, now recognise that they don’t have the luxury of waiting decades for new solutions and processes to become an industry-wide standard. Resultantly, we’re seeing the manufacturing sector slowly shifting from the typically reserved and reactive approach to a more aggressive and proactive approach, when it comes to exploring and adopting new technologies.
Ultimately, manufacturers need to invest in the right digital tools to meet their projected ROIs. The transition to advanced digital tools and technologies will not happen overnight in the industry, so manufacturers at the individual level, at least, should waste zero time in creating and setting a benchmark for digital development which covers the next few years.
HS Manager, for instance, provides manufacturers and warehousing facility owners with paperless digital reports to help them manage operations from the palm of their hands. Insightful offline analytics and automated mobile inspections along with customisable digital checklists take process efficiencies to a new level.
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Operations management in Manufacturing and Warehousing is at the forefront of change, utilising modern technologies as well as disciples to not only address the latest string of operational challenges, but also keep organisations running like a well-oiled machine, all the while maximising both productivity and profitability.
The main goal of any businesses engaged in manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics is to improve the accuracy of order fulfilment, minimise operational costs, and optimise resource allocation. The advent of digitalisation and other disruptive technologies in warehouse management and logistics, which we’ll be discussing shortly, have paved the way for businesses in the sector to increase revenues and improve operational efficiencies across the board – among other things.
Paperless manufacturing is revolutionising the way factories now manage, coordinate, and report various activities through the use of digital tools. Digitalisation or digital disruption has proven to be an effective strategy for more streamlined work order management, for example, helping organisations maintain quality standards, all the while ensuring that they are on top of compliance matters.
Supply chain sustainability refers to effectively managing the social, economic, and environmental factors within an organisation’s supply chain. A very important aspect of this sustainability initiative is recognising and acknowledging the link between a manufacturing company and the broader ecosystem they may be impacting – and then coming up with responsible business practices to make all aspects of the supply chain sustainable.
As we eagerly look to a bright and productive year ahead, the UK’s logistics sector is at a bit of crossroads, so to speak, poised for disruption amid a backdrop of regulatory shifts, technological evolution, and global economic dynamics.
In a recent report released by The Manufacturers’ Organisation, half of the companies surveyed are upping their investment in automation technologies, especially AI and ML, with almost ¾ of companies now spending more openly on automation across multiple technologies and functions – from product design and development to manufacturing and warehousing operations.
Organisations working in high-risk industries like manufacturing, warehousing, supply chain, and logistics, are well aware of the risks and potential hazards their workers face each day. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, many businesses do not have the appropriate health and safety controls to minimise risk and hazards at the workplace.
According to an HSE report, around 54,000 workers are involved in non-fatal accidents in the manufacturing sector each year. Most of the injuries they suffer are a direct result of manual handling accidents, trips, slips, and falls, contact with moving machinery, and being struck by moving objects.
It is estimated that the logistics industry will grow at a CAGR of 10-12%, reaching a value of $380 million by 2025. A large driver of this growth will be technology and automation – from robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT) to artificial intelligence (AI), better integration of the various ecosystems involved, digitisation of processes, and more.
Supply chain inspections often prove to be a challenge, even for leading, well-established companies. However, standardisation has now become one of the chief methods of optimising the greater supply chain and ensuring that all managers, departments, and teams are on the same page.
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