MANUFACTURING OUTLOOK
Thomas Leeson
Senior industry strategist,
manufacturing & supply chain
OpenText
The events of 2020 have exposed the risk
for manufacturers in their supply chains. We
can expect this to accelerate the adoption of
cloud-based supply chain platforms that enable
fl exible and adaptable ways to trade, collaborate
and grow digital partner ecosystems. Moving
to these platforms in future will also provide
benefi ts for companies looking to ensure their
ethical and sustainability goals are met vis-à-vis
the supply chain. This will become increasingly
important, given customer expectations have
evolved and led to increased pressure on
organisations to engage in ethical practices.
With the right technology, even the most
complex of supply chains can be simplifi ed
to allow for greater transparency,
visibility, and accountability –
ensuring businesses can check
and confi rm ethical policies
and practices are being
followed both internally and
across their suppliers.
In addition to accelerating
the manufacturing sector’s
move to more fl exible, scalable
and ethical supply chains, 2020
has pushed forward a turning
point for disruptive technologies and market
demands that will transform operations in the
industry. Manufacturers are getting smarter, and
those with a digital foundation are enabling the
connected, intelligent and trusted supply chain
to increase resilience and ensure continuity of
their business operations. Within any industry,
however, unpredictability can play a factor in
progress, and the events of COVID-19 have
pressed companies to re-evaluate investing
“With the right technology, even
the most complex manufacturing
processes can be simplifi ed”
in developing areas of their business and
focus on liquidity above all else. Autonomous
ecosystems are the best opportunity there is
when looking to mitigate future risk, predicting
disasters and enabling an agile workforce.
Looking forward, manufacturers that continue
to exploit AI-assisted analytics will deliver value
into all aspects of production and product
development.
Darren Dodd
CEO
Selig Group
This year has seen
disruption for
essential services in
manufacturing sectors
such as FMCG and
packaging which meant
manufacturers had to be agile
to maintain business, but there have also been
windows of opportunity.
The supply chain disruption experienced in
Europe in February and March, as countries such
as Italy and Spain fell into emergency lockdowns,
had a devastating e ect on manufacturers.
Robust and secure supply chains, either through
ownership or strong partnerships, were vital
for manufacturers who had to rapidly evolve.
We were able to react quickly because Selig’s
sister facility in Switzerland produces much of
our raw materials but many of our competitors
who relied on outsourced materials from third
party manufacturers ran into supply problems.
We were granted signifi cant volume and gained
many new customers due to competitor’s supply
chain disruption.
As a result, manufacturers now see the
importance of keeping safety stock and FMCGs
are choosing suppliers that have ready access
and greater control of their inputs to avoid
disruption to their supply chain, manufacturing
operations and capital expenditure.
Secondly, manufacturing in the UK has seen
a great deal of innovation as manufacturers have
stepped up to come up with solutions in the
fi ght against COVID-19. For some, the need to be
more agile has accelerated connectivity and the
digitalisation of manufacturing processes and for
others it has meant diversifying manufacturing,
targeting new audiences and identifying new
opportunities. In May, for example, Selig worked
with Relco UK to provide sealing means for
the reagent vessels of a fi ve-minute COVID-19
diagnostic test that received FDA approval in the
US. The reagent receptacles are hermetically
sealed to preserve their sterility using Selig’s easy
to open Lift ‘n’ Peel™ sealing solution. This “can
do” attitude and heightened recognition of the
need to embrace smart manufacturing is likely to
ignite renewed vigour in manufacturing for 2021.
“Manufacturing saw a great
deal of innovation as companies
stepped up during the pandemic”
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