Confronting change in the manufacturing sector: why success relies on the right solutions

Manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to push their capabilities and improve processes. Innovative technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) and automation is opening up more opportunities to achieve this. Today’s manufacturing organisations must remain on top of emerging technology, to find solutions that support business goals, improve productivity, increase cost efficiency and drive innovation. Those that invest wisely now will be lightyears ahead of the competition.

Technology keeps uptime high

The costs of downtime are significant; 98%  of organisations say that a single hour of downtime costs nearly £76,000, and 81% say that it costs more than £225,000. Keeping uptime high and achieving higher productivity is, unsurprisingly, a top priority  for many leaders when looking at technology investments, in fact 51% of organisations that have already invested in such solutions report improvements to their productivity.

This is done by investing in high-performance, robust technology – such as industrial printers, that rapidly print labels for easy identification - streamlining operations and enabling products to move quickly through the manufacturing process.

Likewise, an applicator system can automatically print and apply labels to items on a conveyor belt, reducing manual (and time-consuming) work. Display screens can be placed throughout a factory to share internal notices and schedules - and further information can be shared on a document management system for quick search and retrieval.

Developing a digital supply chain

Many organisations are already undergoing a digital transformation in their manufacturing processes, with 50% embedding smart devices and intelligence into their current processes, and 88% planning to do so in the next two years.

This is due to the significant benefits they predict the digital supply chain will bring. Namely increased productivity, product quality, profitability, machine reliability, worker safety and customer satisfaction.

Barcode validators, for instance, can automatically and accurately identify and eliminate invalid barcodes, dramatically speeding up processing, reducing errors, and ultimately improving productivity. Document management systems can accelerate time-to-market and help workers quickly find the files that they need so they can focus more time on their work, instead of sifting through disorganised files.

Protecting the bottom line

Four of the five market challenges for manufacturers relate to costs (material, price reduction, labour and transportation). Leaders should seek out technology that reduces the total cost of ownership. For example, printers with ribbon save technology and longer length ribbons will reduce the number of consumables ordered over the equipment’s lifetime.

Ensuring data security

A sad reality of today’s world is that cybercriminals are constantly looking for weaknesses to exploit. As connected devices grow, so too will the opportunities and likelihood of a data breach. In 2019, 50% of manufacturers reported experiencing a breach or cyberattack - and this number is rising. The costs of a breach can be crippling. Manufacturer Norsk Hydro faced a $75 million bill  because of just one cyberattack.

To protect your systems, you need 24/7 monitoring and coverage, to guard against malicious attacks, patch vulnerabilities quickly, and flag potential issues for review. Remote monitoring and management uses locally installed agents to continuously monitor an IT system to quickly address weaknesses and proactively update and protect against threats. Simultaneously, cybersecurity solutions can constantly monitor for cyberthreats, unusual behaviour and potential attacks.

Stepping towards sustainability

As Andrew Wyckoff, Director, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, OECD states, “Sustainable manufacturing is no longer just nice-to-have, but a business imperative.” Manufacturers must put sustainability at the heart of their business. Those that do will enjoy higher competitiveness and profits, as well as a lower carbon footprint. 40% of manufacturers report higher profits after investing in energy-efficient measures; 30% state that their competitiveness has also increased.

Technology solutions that are multi-functional and energy-saving, such as Toshiba Tec’s hybrid multifunction device, can save resources, improve green credentials and help you meet your sustainability goals. Toshiba Tec is also committed to a carbon zero scheme, so devices are delivered carbon neutrally, to further help with sustainability targets.