5 Smart Manufacturing Trends for 2022

Transform your supply chain and stay ahead of the competition

After a rollercoaster ride over the last few years, Australia’s manufacturing and construction industries are finding their feet.

Activity is increasing, and the outlook for both sectors is promising (1, 2), meaning there’s plenty of work coming down the pipeline.

But there’s also more competition as businesses restart and pivot.

To stay competitive and thrive in the next 12-24 months, manufacturers and cabinetmakers need to:

• Embed digital transformation at every level
• Streamline business processes
• Stabilise supply chains
• Anticipate customer demands

It sounds like a colossal (and expensive) task – but it’s not.

Keep reading to discover how the right manufacturing ERP enables continuous improvement for sustainable business growth.

5 technology-driven trends in manufacturing for 2022

1. Remote and hybrid work

Remote and hybrid working models are inherently more challenging in the manufacturing industry.

But flexibility isn’t impossible.

There are many tasks, even on the workshop floor, that can be performed from elsewhere with a fit-for-purpose manufacturing ERP:

• Monitoring productivity
• Scheduling and updating jobs
• Workforce management
• Drafting and designing
• Inventory control
• Logistics
• Back-office business processes

Looking further into the future, remote service technology is also making waves in the manufacturing industry.

Engineers and service specialists use video conferencing technology or augmented reality systems to direct the action from afar, reducing the time between service calls and improving efficiency.

2. Monitoring machine health with sensors

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of the “automation pyramid”, spend 5 minutes catching up on our previous post.

Embedding smart sensors, motors, gauges and alarms into manufacturing equipment is not new. What’s changing is the way service teams and machine operators interact with those sensors.

Feeding real-time updates to a centralised ERP platform enables manufacturers to identify bottlenecks and catch issues early.

For example, if a machine is failing at irregular intervals, the operator might not think to report the issue.

Or, if a slight delay upstream causes more problems further down the production line, a manufacturing ERP can help highlight the area of concern and action a solution.

3. Using automation to increase productivity

Most manufacturers use automation in some form already.

But the manufacturers and cabinetmakers automating administrative processes are the ones who will win more business in the future.

ERP software automates several time-consuming tasks:

• Quoting
• Lead management
• Time and attendance
• Stock ordering
• Inventory control
• Production scheduling
• Payroll

Even simple automations like processing timesheets or tracking overtime free up several hours over the course of weeks and months.

4. Predicting peaks and valleys in demand

As consumer tastes evolve, customisation at scale is expected to graduate from “emerging trend” to “mainstay”.

Manufacturers can use historical data and intelligent forecasting tools to predict what’s coming with greater accuracy, giving them more time to prepare.

ERP software reduces the risks of investing in new equipment or retraining staff:

• Identify emerging demand trends
• Understand the actual cost of every job/widget/process
• Find opportunities to improve productivity
• Forecast sales and costs to make more informed business decisions

With a little training from our resident ERP experts, you can learn to use Jobman to pursue opportunities your competition hasn’t even heard about.

5. Supply chain transparency

Global supply chain disruptions rattled Australia’s manufacturing industry in the last few years.

Small businesses and sole traders were hit especially hard as international suppliers folded and stock was stuck waiting for space in a shipping container.

Manufacturing ERPs provide end-to-end transparency, including traceability through the supply chain.

By accessing, analysing and actioning ERP data, sole traders and big manufacturers alike can gradually build more resilience into the supply chain.

Interested to see this intelligence in action? Book a free demonstration to see how Jobman unlocks the data-driven solutions your business can use to gain a competitive advantage.