“ The manufacturing industry faces a formidable challenge in meeting customer demands characterised by increased technology adoption , shorter lead times , greater transparency requirements , and decreased tolerance ,” said Kevin Tucker , Advisory Practice Lead at Info-Tech Research Group . “ The technology ecosystems that manufacturing businesses can adopt are drastically changing , and the new solutions that they are adopting call for significantly different skill sets .”

According to Info-Tech ’ s recently published research , manufacturers can face significant challenges in integrating control towers , primarily due to ineffective collaboration between IT and OT . Many of these organisations operate in silos , leading to poor communication and hampering integration efforts . The industry also struggles with the complexities of legacy systems and intricate supply chain operations that involve multiple suppliers , manufacturers and distribution networks . Furthermore , a shortage of skilled specialists capable of effectively managing and operating a modern control tower exacerbates these challenges .

“ The manufacturing industry has traditionally held onto legacy equipment as long as it continued to make money without being exposed to excessive risk ,” explained Tucker . “ With the market shifting toward a cloud model and integration with legacy onpremises solutions becoming less viable , it is no longer practical to keep legacy equipment in place .”

The firm ’ s blueprint highlights several control tower integration service capabilities designed to tackle the challenges of the manufacturing industry . These capabilities , listed below , can facilitate

The manufacturing industry has traditionally held onto legacy equipment as long as it continued to make money without being exposed to excessive risk .

real-time information sharing among customers and businesses to enable more efficient operations and better decision-making :

• Control centre : Streamlines operations through orchestration , visualisation and collaboration .

• Communication services : Enables real-time information sharing via collaboration , sensing , analysis , planning and response .

• Decision management services : Optimises demand , inventory and supply management decision-making .

• Integration services : Facilitates seamless data exchange through protocols , sensing and integration .

• Advanced intelligence : Leverages AI , ML and Deep Learning for actionable insights .

As manufacturers navigate the demands of a rapidly changing market landscape , implementing a supply chain control tower is not just a strategic advantage but a fundamental necessity for sustainable growth . Info-Tech advises that by providing realtime insights and enabling proactive decision-making , control towers offer a competitive edge in the industry , ensuring that manufacturers can adapt swiftly to market changes , optimise operations , and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction . �

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