Resources
The Connected Business
Inside this issue
• An in-depth look at IT and manufacturing
• The ghosts of systems past
• ‘Nobody should have to choose between a used Ferrari and a 3D printer’ - -
Content
Systems from the past may haunt manufacturers of the future
After years of underinvestment many companies have facilities that were designed for simpler times
Factory automation: Capable old machines with incapable old software
The task of managing the production process has become ever more complex
Case Study: Paper mill rolls out new system
Vida Paper was looking for a way to speed up production, improve quality and reduce waste
Integration: Merging companies pay a high price for their IT ignorance
Regarding IT as a business function that sits on its own can cost manufacturing companies dear when they merge
Case Study: A building tie-up on firm foundations
When Travis Perkins took over smaller rival BSS, the IT departments were involved from the start
Product design: Customisation means much more than a local language manual
Companies need to add features for wealthier markets, while simplifying products for others
‘Nobody should have to choose between a cheap used Ferrari and a 3D printer’
MakerBot Industries is a small company that has created a cheap device to print sturdy plastic models of a multitude of shapes
Performance management: five priorities for designing a system that aligns with IT
No matter what measure you use, IT is fundamental to modern “lean” manufacturing
Perspectives: West must not count on its IT experience for competitive advantage
Any Chinese or eastern European looking at the history of IT in western Europe and North America over the past several decades might conclude the advantage lies with them
