________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
your operation is supporting you as well as it could be . From there , evaluate how other strategic distributors and suppliers that have vast product knowledge could provide an operational edge that leads to cost and labor savings .
Consider , for example , a heavy industrial manufacturer with global operations . While standardization across operations is the ideal model , highly nuanced and technical realities do not allow for a one-size-fits-all approach . These manufacturers must find the right balance : a company that has a global presence with local and regional prowess that can also efficiently and profitably support the manufacturer ' s critical operations . One solution is to strategically partner with suppliers who can own more of the total supply chain ecosystem so the manufacturer can focus on producing the goods that it sells . Distribution centers , warehouse management systems , transportation programs and management systems are only part of the total equation . What happens when those goods arrive at the manufacturing site ?
Strategic partners that can connect the sourcing procurement and delivery of critical inventory with the overall management of the inventory on site are extremely valuable to the overall value proposition . Finally , connecting everything digitally to make sure the best business decisions are made is paramount to companies wishing to remain competitive .
Optimizing labor resources for long term success
While automation exists to streamline warehouse processes like inventory / asset tracking , facility monitoring and assisting workers on the warehouse floor , the manufacturing labor force still requires a lot of manual and semi-automated tasks . Acquiring workers with the necessary technical skills and experience to perform complex tasks , retaining workers , and managing the costs of labor continue to be very difficult . As a result , many are increasingly relying on temporary or contract workers , which can result in higher labor costs and decreased worker stability .
The labor crunch has expedited the need to put solutions in place to ease the burdens of work that doesn ’ t require manual labor . To address these challenges , manufacturers are investing in training programs and exploring new technologies like robotics and automation solutions to reduce their dependence on skilled labor .
By leveraging industrial connections and interactive interfaces , robotics and automation can make even the most complex programming tasks able to be managed by frontline operations , making factories less dependent on technical experts and engineering departments . They can also work in dirty or dangerous locations that may pose a safety hazard for physical workers , or on jobs that require repetitive motions or tasks to be carried out for long periods of time .
The challenge is that fewer and fewer companies around the globe can scale to meet the needs of some of the larger global industrial companies . Managing complicated nuanced project deployments in remote parts of the world while maintaining the right kind of vision and analytics across operations has become more important than ever .
Companies are placing a much larger focus on labor optimization , expanded data analytics , increasing buying power , and partnering with the right mix of suppliers that can deliver critical parts for their operation . To gauge whether these three strategies are moving the needle , establish measurable goals , regularly reviewing KPIs ( fulfillment rates , on-time delivery , and cost per unit ) to track your progress and identify opportunities to optimize . ■
16