Top manufacturing trends in 2022
Category Industrial News
A new financial year is upon us and industrial enterprises in South Africa and around the world are continuing to embrace new developments that make production faster, more efficient and more profitable. At the same time, they are taking environmental and societal concerns to heart and needing to be more vigilant than ever in terms of cybersecurity. 3Cube Property Solutions looks at some of the top manufacturing trends that we're going to see more of as 2022 plays out.
Supply chains reimagined
In a report titled 2022 Manufacturing Industry Outlook, Deloitte takes a look at the year ahead, and one of the salient points raised is the transformation of supply chains. According to Deloitte's data, more than half of the companies surveyed in the USA plan to enhance data integration in their supply-and-demand planning this year.
By digitally combining data from production lines, warehouses and suppliers, logistics managers can get a clear picture at a glance of stock levels and shortages at all times. This removes the need to use historical data or intuition in the planning process. To showcase the importance of supply chain planning, Deloitte's research indicates that lack of supply chain integration could be a hindrance to smart factory initiatives for 60% of manufacturers by 2025.
The evolution of smart factories
A continuing drive towards smart factories will be a trend throughout 2022 and in years to come. As 5G networks become more prevalent, automation and intelligence will grow from strength to strength, with automated platforms and AI-enabled tools supporting production. Increasingly, industrial enterprises have the potential to leverage emerging technologies like cobotics and the internet of things to create a competitive advantage and ensure that they can meet their customers' ever-changing needs. Cobotics, in a nutshell, refers to collaborative robots designed to work alongside a human, while the internet of things refers to the billions of physical devices that are connected to the internet and can communicate real-time data.
The need for cybersecurity
In a world in which phishing and ransomware attacks are on the increase, industrial enterprises are far from immune. According to Deloitte, 82% of the US-based manufacturing executives surveyed stated that they will be investing more in cybersecurity in 2022 than they have in previous years. Factors leading to increased vulnerability include legacy systems and the impact of staff members working remotely. The increased risk of cybersecurity attacks goes hand in hand with systems being interconnected to allow companies to take advantage of everything made possible by digitisation and the internet of things.
Creamer Media's Engineering News reports that between March and September 2021, an average of 1 611 cyberattacks were carried out against industrial facilities across Africa every week. It is clear that "it won't happen to us" approaches need to be a thing of the past.
Taking sustainability seriously
The need to be environmentally and socially responsible is making sustainability a bigger priority than ever before. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are becoming an increasingly important part of the way businesses are run. These criteria are being considered by potential investors as well as by socially and environmentally conscious clients.
While environmental factors consider the relationship between a company and our planet, social considerations include the company's relationships with its employees and suppliers, as well as the way the company integrates into the area in which it operates. Issues related to governance include a company's leadership and internal controls. By committing to responsible manufacturing processes, industrial companies can nurture a reputation of being a company that cares.
3Cube Property Solutions has its finger on the pulse of industrial and manufacturing trends. We are also widely experienced in finding premises that enable manufacturing operations to thrive and grow. Contact us for more information about industrial properties in Gauteng.
Author: 3Cube Property Solutions
