Smarter Manufacturing: rising to the challenge

Nick Offin, Head of Sales, Marketing & Operations, Northern Europe at Dynabook formerly Toshiba UK, examines the challenges smart manufacturers must overcome in their quest for increased productivity driven by digital transformation. The manufacturing industry is on the cusp of a new digital-first era. Technology is changing everything from design to production. It’s no surprise then, that digital transformation has become top of the agenda for those working in the sector; and for good reason. According to recent research by MIT, factory digitisation could provide digitally-savvy companies 38% higher revenue growth than those that have not yet digitised their business. The promise of increased employee productivity, faster time to market and more efficient operations is becoming too great for many to ignore.  However, the road to a digital-first workforce isn’t an easy one, especially for manufacturing organisations who have traditionally relied on legacy systems and processes. Though digital transformation efforts are underway for some manufacturers, many obstacles remain a concern. The top barriers range from insufficient budgets and cybersecurity concerns to legacy systems and the adoption of new technologies.