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On this page, we'll cover important areas in manufacturing such as growing revenue, meeting evolving customer expectations, and creating the right organizational culture for change. 

Plus, we explain how the principle of thinking big but acting smart with your IT projects can lead to tangible outcomes. There’s a lot of excitement around data and AI right now. By tying all your data and AI efforts back to business outcomes, you can keep expectations realistic and make sure your AI pilots get off the ground. Drawing from our experience across thousands of projects, we’re here to guide you through these challenges and help you implement strategies that deliver real, impactful results.

So, let’s get started. 

TIP: To make it easier for you, we’ve added links to each key section below so you can jump straight to what interests you. We’ve also included 'back to top' links throughout the resource so you can easily navigate back whenever you need. 

Cost efficiency

Every manufacturer wants to be more cost-effective without sacrificing the quality or quantity of their products. While it may be tempting to reduce expenses by downsizing staff or avoiding investments in new technology, these approaches can hurt team morale, stifle innovation, and let competitors gain an advantage. Instead, the focus should be on achieving cost efficiency rather than just cutting costs. Let's look into practical examples and strategies to better understand how to achieve this. 

 

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Business automation in manufacturing
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How to maximize asset performance and uptime in manufacturing
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How to improve your planning efficiency in manufacturing
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How mixed reality can impact manufacturers bottom line

Growing revenue

Despite changing factors in the manufacturing industry, such as geopolitical uncertainties disrupting supply chains and shifting consumer preferences, the drive to increase revenue remains constant. When leveraged correctly, data and AI can open up new revenue streams and reshape traditional business models. Check out our resources below for practical tips on creating new revenue opportunities. 
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Analyzing the current state of customer experience in manufacturing
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How to generate new revenue streams with servitization

Customer portals for manufacturers

Get a digital 360° overview with a customer portal in B2B

To the 360° overview

 

Watson-Marlow aligns CRM implementation project with strategy

Read the full case study

 

Manufacturing’s move to the cloud

Moving to the cloud isn’t just about changing where your data is stored or how your IT systems run. It’s about opening up new opportunities for your entire business. Successful business transformation requires a holistic, business-centric approach that covers your technology, people, and processes. Change can be scary, and people often resist if they feel it's being forced on them. By involving your team right from the start - like forming a cross-functional team from all areas of your organization - you can get everyone on the same page. Use simple language to explain why the change is happening and the business benefits. This way, your team will feel responsible for the change and be ready for it. Want more tips on getting your business ready for change? Check out our resources below. 

Building the foundation: Modern Data Platforms

The term "modern data platform" is often used with little clarity or consistency. Depending on the context, it can mean various concepts and technologies. Additionally, terms such as lakehouse, data mesh, and data fabric add to the complexity, making it challenging to grasp the true meaning. In our resources, we leverage our experts' knowledge to provide clear definitions and explanations, helping you understand what makes up a modern data platform. 

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning. Are they just solutions in search of a problem?

It's easy to get swept up in the excitement and hype surrounding data and AI. Before you know it, you've lost sight of your initial objectives and are stuck in "pilot purgatory," where your AI projects start but never truly take off. How can you avoid this? Begin by clearly defining your objectives. Focus on the results you desire and identify applications that will help you achieve those goals, creating immediate value. Next, identify areas within your business that are ready for AI integration to secure early wins, ensuring each activity is linked to tangible business outcomes.  

Find out more strategies for successfully integrating AI and ML into your business in our resources below. 

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How can AI be applied?

 

How can AI be applied?

 

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Is AI all hype?

 

Is AI all hype?

 

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How not to fail

 

How not to fail

 

About Columbus – your go-to partner for manufacturing transformation

We're a global digital advisor and IT consulting company that delivers industry expertise along with comprehensive business-critical services and solutions. Our offerings include cloud ERP, data & AI, customer experience and engagement, digital commerce, and security.  

We help businesses develop end-to-end transformation strategies that connect people, processes, and technology, enabling them to execute their digitalization plans and realize the full potential of their technology investments. Manufacturing is one of our key areas of expertise. With a deep understanding of both process and discrete manufacturing, we also extend our services to the retail and distribution sectors. 

From engineering and shop floor to on-site distribution and after-sales services, we can help you enhance supply chain management, improve efficiency, streamline operations, reduce overheads, and exceed customer expectations. We support you at every step of your transformation journey, ensuring a smooth transition for your employees while maximizing your value chain to lay the groundwork for future success. 

 

360-degree manufacturing Customer journey Product design and engineering Data management and analytics Quality Connected factory Production efficiency Planning Enterprise asset management Sustainability

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Customer journey

Create and deliver personalized experiences that consistently engage and delight your customers.

data-driven decisionsGain a deeper understanding of your customers, from the content they're looking for and the right time to reach out to their previous interactions with your company
customer insights to create personalized Create end-to-end customer journeys based on individual customer-triggered activities
data warehouse, and big data analyticsRun A/B and multivariant tests to optimize content for your customers and ensure marketing KPIs are aligned with business goals

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Product design and engineering

We can help you streamline the cost of managing product data, minimize errors in production, reduce waste when making design changes and control the introduction of new products.

unified commerce strategyCentralize product data and ensure it’s accurate and available to users across your organization
customer journey - connecting both digital and physical touchpointsEnable your teams to request changes to products and use engineering change orders to assess and document the impact of proposed changes. Also, add workflows to manage the engineering change and process and release of new versions of a product
unified commerce strategyManage the visibility of product data across your business and control the availability of product versions at each stage of the supply chain

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Data management and analytics

Transform your data into valuable insights to drive significant improvements across your operations, customer and employee relationships, and ensure profits.

automating supply chain activitiesAdopt a robust data and analytics strategy and steer your manufacturing organization towards a data-driven culture
predictive analysis through machine learningImprove data visibility to enable your leaders to make effective data-driven decisions
Helping you improve planning and availability across all channels.Build scalable, future-proof data platforms customized to address your present and future needs

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Quality

Gain a consistent, efficient way to assess and record quality metrics in your operations to drive process and quality improvements.

collaborative supply chainAnalyze your productivity and efficiency through analytics, IoT and AI and use that knowledge to streamline your overall processes
customer expectations 24/7Drive continuous improvement across your products, processes and systems to accelerate growth
Efficiently maintaining optimal inventory levelsBenefit from higher quality products by introducing improved operational controls and quality assurance both during and after production, which also results in happier customers

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Connected factory

Gain access to modern technologies that can centralize your processes and help form the basis for a smart, connected factory.

insights into your customers journeyUnlock real-time insight into data, helping you monitor machines and resolve any issues remotely
data to strengthen relationships and earn loyaltyUse additional insights into performance, usage and machine lifecycle stage to provide value-added services such as proactive support or ongoing monitoring
potential customers across all channelsEnsure 24-hour continuous uptime and minimize the chance of disruptions to production

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Production efficiency

Streamline your production process to enable smoother production flow, increased speed to market and enhanced productivity.

customer insightsEffectively track and control physical inventory, unlocking insights on purchases, stock maintenance and order fulfillment
improving instore processes<Build agile manufacturing processes using AI, IoT and mixed reality and open doors for more improvements in the way you work
ship from locations closer to your customerUnify your data to make better informed decisions and create accurate schedules, forecasts and budgets

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Planning

Connect your sales and operations plans so you can increase transparency across your organization, balance supply and demand and achieve profitability.

360-degree customer real-time insightsMake it easier to relay up-to-date information and take informed decisions about a product’s supply demand
loyalty with intelligent engagementGain an accurate view of exactly what volumes are in inventory, production or in transit, at any point in time
360-degree customer real-time insightsMake better decisions about products, provide accurate data on product performance and improved forecasting data. This also helps you remain flexible enough to adapt to ever-changing demand

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Enterprise asset management

Gather the right data so you can boost production from your assets, cut costs and improve your bottom line.

orchestration across your supply chainGain a detailed view of how your assets are performing and when the best time is to perform maintenance so they can keep running at full capacity for as long as possible
automating your entire supply chainAutomate error prone and time consuming tasks to streamline your maintenance processes
automating your entire supply chainCentralize all your critical data into one place and enable your employees to access it instantly from any location

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Sustainability

With sustainability top of mind in the manufacturing industry, we can help support your organization’s sustainability efforts.

orchestration across your supply chainEffectively manage inventories and expiry dates through tracking and automation to eliminate the chances of human error and ensure you get the most out of your stock
automating your entire supply chainIntegrate all your operations to better evaluate sales history and create reliable forecasts, helping you plan purchasing accurately and minimize waste through unsold products
automating your entire supply chainGain full visibility into your raw materials, enabling you to find and fix inefficiencies in ingredient management and sales forecasting
automating your entire supply chainOptimize resources in the supply chain to lower idle time and transport capacity
automating your entire supply chainRegister and analyze resource consumption to target improvement efforts efficiently

Would you like to know more?

For more information, contact our team:

Bjørn-Pedersen

Bjørn Pedersen

Industry Practice Lead

Author Magnus Oxenwaldt

Magnus Oxenwaldt

AI and DT Director

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