Industry Trends in High Technology Manufacturing

High Technology manufacturing remains one of the most vibrant, innovative and fast paced industries in the world. Even with global disruption from COVID-19, demand for products has remained positive, albeit with far less predictability! As consumers, we continue to drive this demand for new products and experiences and the challenges for companies to keep up have become extreme:

1. Sudden shortages of supply and supply chain networks
2. Increasing regulatory pressures
3. New form factors and integration into other products
4. Workforce constraints and social distancing

Every analyst on the planet has scrutinized what this “next normal” will actually look like. It is clear that there are some common areas that all agree deserve the highest focus and priority including:

1. Re-skilling and prioritizing the safety of the workforce
2. Putting a greater focus on workforce automation
3. Building “resiliency” into supply chains
4. Increasing the agility and flexibility of manufacturing

Together, all of these priorities contribute to the overall business continuity of operations, and they all have three key attributes that need to be considered: three elements that will drive the trends of the future: Humanity, Connectivity and Sustainability.

The human element is in both the people that create and build products, and the end user experience that they are destined for. Electronic devices have become remarkably “personal” items that capture and manage our daily lives in very intimate ways. In both cases, this first trend will require High Tech companies to put the human at the center of everything they do.

We are now a connected society. I challenge you to shut off the Wi-Fi at any home or place of business and see how far you can count into double digits before someone shouts! Of course, IIoT and smart devices have tremendous tangible benefit, from medical devices that actively monitor our health, to smart buildings and motorways that optimize efficiency and reduce pollution. Electronics manufacturing is at the heart of every connection we make.

Finally, sustainability is an imperative for every company, both from an operations perspective and from the design and creation of sustainable products. The explosion of product innovation also drives an increase in product obsolescence. There is a corporate and social responsibility for High Tech companies to lead the way here.

At DELMIA, we have been helping companies evolve and adapt long before this specific disruption. The trends of today may manifest in unique ways but always require similar solutions that drive agility and sustainability to address the challenges. If change is to be expected, then the ability to respond has to follow, both strategically and tactically. Whether in process simulation, manufacturing execution or supply chain planning, DELMIA can deliver a portfolio of capabilities to help your organization move into the future.