A report on discrete manufacturing in a changing world

Servitisation. The circular economy. Digital transformation. The Internet of Things.

Change is afoot for discrete manufacturers and these are just some of the terms that your firm will be factoring in as you prepare for and implement new processes to stay efficient, effective and relevant.

Challenges are coming from all corners, be it your competitors (both established or up and coming), regulatory changes (such as Brexit) or environmentally (dealing with sustainability and a green agenda).

Tackling these challenges can mean a change to your strategies and priorities but putting the right processes in place can be truly beneficial.

Discrete manufacturing in a changing world is a report that takes a look at some of these challenges and explores how these changes are making a difference throughout the industry.

It offers advice to you and your team as you embark on a path that requires you to evolve, adopt modern technology, and adhere to economic and legislative changes.

Discrete manufacturing in a changing world covers the following topics:

• Pursuing the circular economy
• The servitisation of manufacturing
• Digital transformation and the impact of emerging technologies
• The impact of changing regional legislation
• Top tips from manufacturing expert Frank Piller
• Resilient manufacturers see the upside of change

An excerpt from Discrete manufacturing in a changing world

Discrete manufacturers in Great Britain and around the world have undergone huge transformation in this fourth Industrial Revolution – for a number of reasons.

A combination of factors that include economic and market uncertainty, changing customer expectations around technology and a fast‑moving green agenda are putting pressure on businesses to hone their supply chains and explore more sustainable and digital business models.

As well as the need to become more flexible and efficient, manufacturing change is increasingly aligned to the green agenda.

As a result, manufacturers need to change their business models and processes to keep their competitive edge.

This is something UK firms are very familiar with, with Brexit an ongoing uncertainty and stiff global competition from the likes of Germany, the US and Asia.

British manufacturers need to continue driving efficiencies across the organisation, introduce more personalised products and services faster, and become much more environmentally sustainable.

To help achieve these goals, some manufacturers are trialling newer technologies that can deliver the speed, efficiencies and transformed processes required, with innovations such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR), artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics high on the investment agenda.

They are also exploring the same technologies to see where they can offer up additional insights and intelligence on how their business and supply chain are performing.