The majority of the common challenges faced by manufacturers can be addressed or assisted by the use of technology, according to PWC South Africa.
Its new report, Manufacturing Excellence 4.0, details how the ideas of manufacturing excellence are evolving in the digital world, and in the South African context.
Digital solutions can help improve manufacturing processes, but they can only be effective if blended with the traditional, overarching ‘manufacturing excellence’ programmes, notes the consulting firm.
Despite the fact that most manufacturers have continuous improvement programmes, they often experience challenges while trying to implement them – from a lack of training and support from leadership, to fear of redundancy and realising that the digital journey is an ongoing one.
Daniel Reddy, PwC SA smart manufacturing senior manager, says introducing digital tools helps mitigate these common challenges. “There is always an inherent risk that the use of technology can hamper or even exacerbate these issues, however when technology is applied in conjunction with strong cultural and process efficiency fundamentals, it can be used to ease the transition to a culture of continuous improvement.”
Vinesh Maharaj, PwC SA smart manufacturing lead, says many manufacturing facilities exhibit a low manufacturing maturity, where old ways of working progressively evolve. The lack of step changes in manufacturing maturity may result in South African companies falling behind their global peers and eventually becoming obsolescent.
“There seems to be an inert comfortability that is associated with conducting activities the way that it has always been done,” Maharaj says. “This makes organisations blind to the fact that there are improved, safer and more efficient ways of working in your factory.”
There are significant benefits to optimising processes, with gaining visibility being top of mind for most manufacturing executives. “The interesting part about creating visibility and uncovering the actual performance of a plant is that a common truth is created and less valuable time is spent on the mundane activities that go along with formulating this image,” says Maharaj.
Click here to view Manufacturing Excellence 4.0 report.
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