Identifying the Divide Between the Plant-floor and the Enterprise (Market Focus)

Manufacturers have long had problems with the disconnect between plant-floor and enterprise systems. Now, a wide range of market pressures are creating problems that are being exacerbated by that divide. To alleviate these issues, manufacturers are going to have to act - fast.



Report Highlights
The manufacturing industry is in a constant stage of change as supply-chain dynamics shift and economic conditions take hold. The ability of a manufacturer to react to these changing conditions is being increasingly seen as a competitive differentiator, with those companies able to adapt production, quickly becoming the leaders of their market.


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DATAMONITOR VIEW 1
CATALYST 1
SUMMARY 1
ANALYSIS 2
Manufacturers are looking to improve market agility as down-stream dynamics shift 2
Changes in customer demand are forcing manufacturers to react quicker or lose business 2
Customers want newer products faster 3
Larger customers and competition are putting significant pressure on prices 4
A trend for shorter production runs while maintaining scale is becoming a headache for manufacturers 4
Changes in competition continue to hound manufacturers 5
Natural and other unforeseen disasters occurring are forcing manufacturers to assess their agility 5
Manufacturers are experiencing rising cost pressures 6
The basic cost of materials is increasing and squeezing profits 6
Overhead costs such as energy are also increasing 7
Regulatory compliance requires a rapid response 8
Track and tracing is heavily affecting the batch manufacturing industry 9
Implementing a compliance strategy is only one step towards total compliance 10
Manufacturers need to ensure that they are meeting regulatory compliance at an operational level 10
Documentation and proof of compliance needs to be managed effectively 10
APPENDIX 12
Definitions 12
Methodology 12
Further reading 12
Ask the analyst 12
Datamonitor consulting 12
Disclaimer 13

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Figure 1: Increasing customer satisfaction is the most important priority for manufacturers 3
Figure 2: Manufacturing regulations target multiple areas 9

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