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Foundations for the future to becoming a modern manufacturer

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Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, smart factories. All new technologies that, once the hot discussion topic for forward-thinking business leaders, are now slowly but surely becoming a reality for more manufacturers. For those manufacturers keen to embrace such technologies and the benefits they can provide, it’s difficult to know where to begin. With this in mind, how can manufacturers create the right foundation from which to become a truly modern manufacturer, capitalising on new technologies and methodologies in their quest to develop a real competitive advantage, underpinning business development and continued growth?

Joining the dots

All too often, manufacturers are encumbered with outdated, inefficient and disconnected processes. Manual, disjointed processes simply aren’t fit for purpose, with standalone systems and solutions creating silos of information across the business and unable to facilitate the adoption of new and emerging technologies. Advances in AI and Industry 4.0 are highly dependent on timely, quality data, data that isn’t available when you have disparate systems and solutions at play within a business. By replacing these with a single solution that lies at the heart of the organisation, manufacturers can have access to the comprehensive, business-wide information that’s needed to exploit the full potential of new technologies.

Comprehensive visibility

Not only this, but by amalgamating data from right across the business, uniting interdependent and interconnected processes, what results is enhanced business visibility. This furnishes manufacturers with a comprehensive view of the organisation at any one time, informing decision-making at every stage of the manufacturing cycle. It makes it easy to see where the biggest bottlenecks and inefficiencies lie, identifying where the business is most lacking. This in turn enables manufacturers to pinpoint where the application of new technologies will have the biggest impact, delivering optimum levels of return on investment (ROI). 

It’s not uncommon to see the ill-considered implementation of technology for technology’s sake. But, with an accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive view of the business, decision-makers can better understand where exactly they should be making their technology investments to reap the maximum rewards.

Automated efficiency

Increased automation is another area where the right business management solution can pave the way for the adoption of advanced technologies. By simplifying and automating even the most complex of manufacturing processes, the right solution can eradicate many manual, time-consuming and error-prone processes right across the business, including financials, order entry, after market service and analytics. Not only does this increase efficiencies, but it frees up teams to focus on more value-add activities, including the precise and targeted application of advanced technologies.

Flexible growth

System flexibility is also key and it’s crucial to have systems and solutions in place that can scale in-line with business growth. The ability to easily and cost-effectively expand solutions as operations grow is paramount. Manufacturers are too often held back by the very systems that are supposed to support them, making it impossible for the business to capitalise on new technology. The right solutions can be a real catalyst for growth, transforming the business so it’s ready to embrace new ways of working and innovative technology.

Ultimately, the right business management solution will sit at the heart of a manufacturing business, creating a truly agile and efficient organisation that’s ideally placed to not only respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions, but able to readily and successfully adopt and exploit new technologies for the good of the business. Business agility enables manufacturers to seize new opportunities as they arise and the benefits that can be derived from new technologies are prime examples of these opportunities. The visibility, flexibility, agility and automation that the right solution can provide create the solid foundation for the adoption of new technologies, informing a targeted, incremental approach to technological investments and furnishing manufacturers with the tools needed to secure that all-important competitive advantage in an ever-challenging global marketplace.

For more information on how Pegasus can help your business lay the solid foundations for the adoption of new technologies, contact us today.

Posted On: August 03, 2022