Five Trends That Are Going to Dominate Manufacturing This Year
Five Trends That Are Going to Dominate Manufacturing This Year
Manufacturing is an ever-changing field, with advances in production time and quality control dominating the industry. Staying up-to-date on these industry trends is the best way for your company to keep ahead of the competition, giving you access to the latest and best the industry has to offer.
Trend #1: The Internet of Things is the Next Big Thing
Companies are going to rely on the IoT with increasing frequency to reach their goals, including those relating to cost reduction, increased efficiency, improved safety, product innovation, and meeting compliance requirements. Applying the IoT should boost profitability and drive growth for companies in all industries.
Trend #2: Predictive Maintenance is Keeping Production on Track
Any equipment breakdown or malfunction is incredibly costly for all parties involved, as it creates unanticipated delays, shut-downs, and steep repair costs. Predictive maintenance has been used successfully in the past to reduce downtime by as much as 20 percent, while also reducing the number of unplanned outages by as much as 50 percent. As a result, manufacturers who use predictive maintenance are going to be in high demand. Working with one of these companies gives you a better chance at meeting your delivery goals.
Trend #3: There is a Shift Away from B2B to B2B2C
Throughout 2019, companies are going to shift their target away from B2B and toward B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer). There are a few advantages to expanding a target market in this way, with the obvious one being increased profits. Faster time to market, brand control, price control, and improved customer data acquisition are other motivators cited as reasons for this change.
Trend #4: 3D Printing is Making Product Testing Faster and Cheaper
Entering the prototype phase is an exciting time for any company. In the past, however, start-ups often struggled with finding a way to produce a working prototype. With 3D printing, creating prototypes is now easier than it has ever been in the past. Now, you can easily design and test products on a small-scale basis, giving you a chance to troubleshoot at an early stage.
Trend #5: Outsourcing is Going to Rise in Popularity
A growing number of entrepreneurs are turning to consultants to help them outsource various aspects of production. Hiring a manufacturing consultant has numerous benefits to your business. Chief among them is your ability to reduce your budget and workload, while still finding a manufacturer capable of meeting your expectations in terms of cost and quality control.
Remaining competitive in today’s tough market place means learning about and staying on top of current manufacturing trends. If you find that your company is struggling to keep up, consider hiring a manufacturing consulting agency to help.
