A lot has been said of Industry 4.0 and the way it has changed the manufacturing sector by helping investors to optimize advanced technologies in the entire product lifecycle. However, 2021 is the year when manufacturers have to focus further and adopt new trends that can help them optimize efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
To stay ahead of competitors, it is important to embrace change as a method of winning a bigger market share. One way of achieving this is to understand the latest technologies and embracing them in your facility. Keep reading to see the top four manufacturing trends in 2021.
Employee Safety and Development Becomes a Top Priorities
2020 was one of the most distressful years for manufacturers because of the devastating impacts of COVID-19. However, it made investors start putting more focus on workplace safety and staff skills. Although COVID-19 is getting under control, manufacturers have to put more effort into making their facilities more secure for workers. If a new or similar pandemic struck again, would your facility be caught off-guard?
As manufacturers improve their workplace safety, the staff qualifications will also become very important. The goal is to ensure you have qualified workforce that is flexible enough to help your facility continue operating profitably even during tough periods. Further staff training is expected to help businesses become more innovative in adopting better growth strategies.
3d Printing
In manufacturing, one of the most important activities is product development. One of the latest technologies being adopted in product development is 3D printing. The technology helps organizations to easily create cheaper prototypes. It is also considered a more effective method of troubleshooting products in industrial settings.
The technology is already being employed in the aerospace industry and it is expected to become the new norm in manufacturing. 3D technology application, especially in product development, might be your company’s gateway to lowering the cost of production, designing better products, and winning a bigger market share.
Predictive Maintenance Technology
Technology in the Internet of Things (IoT), software, and connectivity is evolving very fast. To increase the efficiency of their facilities, manufacturers are expected to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. This approach is based on advanced technology to monitor equipment and machines using performance metrics. When the performance of a machine or equipment falls below certain levels, maintenance activities are initiated before reaching the breaking point. The main advantages of preventive maintenance are:
- Reduced downtime.
- Lower cost of maintenance.
- High productivity.
- Helps extend the life of industrial equipment.
Better Customer Engagement: A Case of Iskander Makhmudov
When manufacturers design products, their focus will now shift from just selling for profit to building connections with clients. Companies will craft ways of bringing onboard their customers to understand their demands and make them part of their community. Indeed, it is already happening and investors like Iskander Makhmudov are showing the way.
Most of the manufacturing companies started by Iskander Makhmudov, such as UMMC, are focused on delivering value to clients. The marketing units of Makhmudov’s companies work with the targeted audience so that only what they need is processed and released into the market. In 2021, more companies are expected to focus and invest in developing strong brands and communities around their products.
If you run or plan to start a manufacturing unit, it is important to understand the trends we have listed in this post because they are expected to become more significant in 2021 and beyond. More importantly, you should take note of how other manufacturers are applying these trends and follow in their footsteps. For example, what trends are applied in Iskander Makhmudov’s manufacturing firms? Then, work on building better strategies for success.
