INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING powered by
GEARING UP FOR GROWTH IN 2017
STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS FOR UAE MANUFACTURERS
What ’ s on tap for UAE manufacturers in 2017 ? Nothing but net ( profits , that is ) as manufacturers kick-off the year with an optimistic eye to the future . It ’ s an exciting time , with manufacturers gearing up for growth , investing in equipment , new manufacturing modalities such as 3D printing , software to support digital transformation and new collaborative , connected factory floor competencies , writes Hesham El Komy , Senior Director , International Channels , Epicor Software .
Expect Cloud , the Internet of Things ( IoT ) and analytics to be key areas of technology investment for manufacturers in the region . While these were topics of conversation and exploration in 2016 , manufacturers will move past the design and concept stage to full-on production execution and deployment of these technologies in 2017 .
Cloud is quickly becoming table stakes . Now is the time for manufacturers to put a cloud readiness plan into action . The Cloud is quickly levelling the playing field , enabling even smaller manufacturers to leapfrog older , more established manufacturing players .
Aside from bringing about improvements in responsiveness , agility and costs , the Cloud is helping businesses transform . As manufacturers shift away from traditional on premises systems to cloudbased ERP they are taking advantage of new capabilities to transform their business and optimize processes . What ’ s more , it ’ s enabling the surfacing of information from even the most far-flung and darkest recesses of the organization and transforming this data into insights necessary to run and drive their business .
The IoT imperative – Start small , start today The application of Big Data and the IoT continues to offer growth opportunities as insights gleaned from various internetconnected devices enable even more targeted customer engagement and business revenue channels as well as the ability to support operational efficiencies . The McKinsey Global Institute says that despite the immense potential factories have for value creation in the IoT era , an estimated 70 percent of data captured in manufacturing goes unused .
While most manufacturers recognise the promise of the IoT , many — especially small and midmarket manufacturers — have taken a “ wait and see ” approach because IoT initiatives can seem daunting . They don ’ t have to be . You don ’ t need to boil the ocean ; there ’ s likely processes that can be IoT and / or cloud enabled that represent lowhanging fruit in your manufacturing organisation . Start there ( and start now !).
According to PriceWaterhouseCoopers , 55 % of businesses will see ROI from the IoT in two years or less . This means manufacturers who have begun to put the IoT to work may already be starting to gain traction with these initiatives . To this end , it ’ s important to get moving with understanding how and where the IoT can aid your business .
Retool your business for the next-gen workforce Much has been written about the so-called “ Great Shift Change ,” as Baby Boomers head toward retirement and Millennials continue to enter the workforce in droves . Today more than 1 in 3 workers are Millennials ; they now comprise the largest faction of the workforce .
To this end , devising strategies to attract and retain Millennial talent will be
76 INTELLIGENTCIO www . intelligentcio . com