What are the Top Six Strategic Priorities For Manufacturers?
While manufacturers face numerous challenges and have established a long list of priorities, the following six stand out as the most pressing: data security, data sovereignty, automation, resilience, Industry 5.0, and sustainability.
of all ransomware attacks are on manufacturers, according to one US study.
of manufacturing companies have critical vulnerabilities, ready to be exploited by cybercriminals.
Data Security
Manufacturers operate in complex IT environments with interconnected networks and systems and IoT technologies in abundance. On the factory floor, connected devices monitor machinery while internal systems ensure this data is transmitted to a multitude of users inside and outside of the physical premises. When it comes to cybersecurity, this complexity can leave organisations vulnerable.
Today, the threat landscape is increasingly diverse and attacks are more sophisticated. Some of the most common directly affect manufacturers. Take ransomware. According to one US study, manufacturers account for 21% of all ransomware attacks. Furthermore, 80% of manufacturing companies have critical vulnerabilities, ready to be exploited by cybercriminals.
Network modernisation involves the introduction of the latest network security features and capabilities. Manufacturers should seek solutions that utilise AI and operate at the edge. This enables organisations to take a dynamic approach to emerging threats and adapt accordingly. Furthermore, simplifying legacy networks makes it much easier to develop a network diagram and clean network topology, which is a critical component in any manufacturer's incident response strategy.
Data Sovereignty
As we discussed in the introduction to this whitepaper, many UK-based manufacturers are categorised as CNI. This categorisation means data sovereignty is not only an important concern from a data privacy standpoint but from a national security perspective too. That said, every large-scale manufacturer that deals with cross-border data along global supply chains must consider the case for implementing data sovereignty measures.
Network upgrades cover every concern when it comes to ensuring compliance with data sovereignty laws. Yet, not all network solutions are created equal. Some offer cloud-based network services by routing traffic through data centres that don't reside in the country of origin. The most effective solutions enable the flexibility of cloud or hybrid data storage with the capabilities to ensure data sovereignty through dedicated cloud instances in the country of origin.
The global industrial automation market is expected to reach these figures by 2030.
Automation
In light of recent advances in AI, organisations across various sectors are beginning to harness the transformative power of automated processes. The manufacturing industry, in particular, stands to gain significantly from these developments. In fact, the global industrial automation market is expected to reach USD $307.7 (£241.8) billion by 2030.
Automation technology plays a vital role in smart manufacturing, enhancing everything from maintenance to adaptive systems. These next-generation systems drive efficiency, reduce costs, and help manufacturers mitigate the risks associated with human errors. Additionally, there are environmental and sustainability benefits that arise from automated system monitoring and advanced quality assurance.
However, to fully leverage these innovations, it is essential to have sufficient network capacity and capabilities. The most important consideration is downtime. Manufacturers must find networking solutions that ensure the least potential downtime in a production environment.
Furthermore, AI-native networking technologies will better support AI-driven automation. With an AI-native networking platform, network operators can easily monitor automation, while the platform itself will use ML and AI tools to identify anomalies, and issue fixes or alerts to the root cause.
SOURCE: https://shorturl.at/jhaIj
Resilience
Resilience is intrinsically linked to smart manufacturing and the predictive maintenance features that come from automating IoT sensors and data analytics processes. However, resilience stands as a separate priority for manufacturers. Currently, 77% of industrial executives classify resilience as one of their top three business priorities.
Manufacturers have been severely tested in recent years, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused massive global supply chain disruptions. This has driven a renewed focus on resilience, and the best way to address these challenges is through predictive analysis.
While it may be impossible to predict the next global pandemic, ensuring productivity and efficiency on a daily basis requires advanced data analytics and a modern network infrastructure that can monitor and process a wide array of systems and sensors.
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of industrial executives classify resilience as one of their top three business priorities.
Industry 5.0
Industry 5.0 focuses on the collaboration between humans and machines. As this technology advances, physical workers in manufacturing facilities will need to work alongside increasingly complex technologies, such as AI-powered robotics.
The outcomes of this new approach are extensive, enabling more sustainable practices, enhancing data-driven predictive methodologies, and ultimately boosting efficiency. However, to build the infrastructure required for this paradigm shift, manufacturers must have up-to-date network architecture in place.
AI-native networks play a key role in ensuring that all integrated systems and processes can effectively communicate with one another. A centralised, AI-powered platform will unify disparate systems—both human-operated and digitally-driven—facilitating a cohesive transition into the next stage of industrial endeavours.
Sustainability
Sustainable manufacturing is more than just a trend; today, it is both an expectation and a necessity. As a result, there has been a 48% increase in the number of manufacturing firms setting internal ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets since 2021.
The benefits of more sustainable practices on a global scale are clear: they ultimately support the worldwide response to the climate crisis. However, with customer expectations and a demand for transparency at an all-time high, failing to meet sustainability targets poses a threat to a manufacturer’s bottom line.
Manufacturers are focusing on data-driven strategies to achieve their sustainability goals. Data analysis and real-time monitoring enable them to reduce waste, optimise resources, and comply with regulatory requirements. While each manufacturer has its own unique strategies in place, all can benefit from network modernisation.
For example, smart network technologies not only have the capacity to handle the data-heavy processes involved in strategy management but can also understand and ultimately optimise how employees use a manufacturing facility to best manage energy consumption.
increase in the number of manufacturing firms setting internal ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets since 2021.
Conclusion
Manufacturing priorities are interconnected. In the modern, data-driven operating environment, seemingly insignificant anomalies on the factory floor can have a direct impact on everyday decision-making and even guide the trajectory of executives. That's why network modernisation is such a vital cog.
Networks, by design, emulate the interconnected structure of smart manufacturing systems. The latest network architecture is collaborative, and a conduit for the data that drives productivity in modern manufacturing. That's why, as manufacturers embrace advances in AI and other next-generation technologies, they must ensure they have a network with the capacity to manage and administer them.