Accelerating Operational Excellence in 2015: Lowering Production Costs with Mobility

Addressing operations challenges

Catavolt launched a survey titled “How Leading Manufacturers are Accelerating Operational Excellence” in September 2014, to gain insight on how manufacturing organizations are working to continuously improve their operations, workflows and business processes.

We collected 111 responses from manufacturing professionals in various disciplines on trends and technology that are driving operational excellence. Increased competition in the market, meeting customer expectations, rapidly changing plant floor conditions, and the need to increase revenue, is pushing manufacturing organizations across all industries towards more efficient operational processes.

Manufacturing organizations are increasing operational excellence investments in 2015

Manufacturing organizations are con-stantly facing organizational challenges and demands, from increasing output and higher quality control, to lowering costs while expanding their global reach. To low-er costs, manufacturers are consistently evaluating their teams and organizational performance, and taking in-house product development in to account.

New technology is allowing manufactur-ing teams to reduce unplanned downtime while providing the ability to transmit data inventory and increase visibility for better and cost-effective management. With the right technology, manufacturing teams are better connected, increasing their produc-tivity by getting real-time information to employees at the right time.

55% of manufacturers plan to increase investments in mobility to lower production costs in 2015(Catavolt, 2015)

Addressing the challenge of production costs in manufacturing

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Material Costs: Manufacturers are challenged ZLWK�ĆQGLQJ�QHZ�ZD\V�WR�SURFXUH�PDWHULDOV�IRU�OHVV�PRQH\�RU�ĆQG�ZD\V�WR�XVH�OHVV�PDWHULDOV�LQ�WKH�SUR-GXFWLRQ�SURFHVV��

Labor Costs: &RQWUROOLQJ�DQG�UHGXFLQJ�ODERU�FRVWV�LV�FKDOOHQJLQJ�IRU�PDQXIDFWXUHUV�ZKHQ�WU\LQJ�WR�LQ-FUHDVH�SURĆWV��0DQXIDFWXUHUV�DUH�FKDOOHQJHG�ZLWK�UHGXFLQJ�WLPH�UHTXLUHG�WR�SURGXFH�XQLWV�RI�WKHLU�SURGXFW��

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Addressing operational excellence & data challenges with mobility Right-time data is a critical component for a manufacturing organization’s operational excellence initiatives. This data is usually kept in information silos that prevent various departments from communicating and collaborating effectively. Manufacturers are also challenged with using data that is incomplete or inaccurate due to human error and paper-processes.

Increasing competitive pressures, strict regulations, rising costs, customer preferenc-es, and scheduling are challenging manufac-WXULQJ�RUJDQL]DWLRQV�WR�LQFUHDVH�WKHLU�ćH[LELO-LW\�DQG�RSHUDWH�DW�PD[LPXP�HIĆFLHQF\��

With the right data, manufacturers have access to the information they need to make decisions regarding materials and supplies inventory, and schedule teams on the shop ćRRU��5HDO�WLPH�GDWD�JLYHV�PDQXIDFWXULQJ�organizations the information they need to control costs in-house, including utilities and budgeting administrative costs.

Access to real-time data reduces unplanned downtime in manufacturing organizations. With the data teams need, manufacturers have the ability to perform activities such as transmitting informationand getting immediate responses to increase or reduce production.

How mobility helps manufacturing organizations

Mobile apps for manufacturing provide real-time data that helps organizations streamline operations and improve workforce optimization

Mobile apps give organizations the ability to monitor production volume and receive alerts, collaborate with teams in multiple locations, and monitor labor and repair costs in one place, all while replacing manual, paper-based processes.

Mobile apps help minimize operations and production costs by providing access to sales numbers and KPIs, improving on-time deliveries and accurate inventory levels, and lowering administrative and material costs.

The benefits of manufacturing apps

80% of manufacturing thought leaders believe that mobility could add at least 6% produc-tivity to their manufacturing organizations.(Catavolt, 2015)

With mobile apps, manufacturing organizations are provided with UHDO�WLPH�YLVLELOLW\�LQWR�SURFHVVHV�WKDW�GULYH�RSHUDWLRQDO�HIĆFLHQF\�and the bottom line. Manufacturers at the executive level and on WKH�VKRS�ćRRU�FDQ�HDVLO\�VKDUH�GDWD�DQG�FROODERUDWH�RQ�PRELOH�devices without having to use a desktop. Mobile apps allow manufacturing teams to use device features such as camera, GPS and other features to modernize business processes and watch the movement of materials in real-time.

Mobility creates customer value at every step of the manufacturing process

Supply Chain Operations Fulfillment Sales &

Marketing Post Sale

Inventory Control

Real-time Logistics

Scheduling

Receipt Acknowledgements

Product Lead Times

Order Tracking

Scheduling Visibility

Quality Control

Dispatch Scheduling

Logistics

Route Optimization

Warehouse Automation

Work Order Approvals

Service Manuals

Service Performance

Dealer Management

Customer DashboardSales Reporting

Quotes/EstimatingCompetitor Intel/Analytics

Read our report & learn more about how mobility drives operational excellence

Click here to view Catavolt’s “Accelerating Operational

Excellence in 2015: Trends and Technology” Report

www.catavolt.com

• Addressing the challenge of rising production

costs in manufacturing and how real-time data

delivered using mobile apps can help

• How manufacturing organizations are using

technology like mobility to accelerate their

operational excellence initiatives