Manufacturing Matters – Safety & Security

Manufacturing promotes safety and security and mitigates risk. Controlling your supply chain and mitigating geopolitical risk can become paramount overnight as geopolitical events occur, natural disasters emerge, and supply chain challenges arise (strikes, disruptions, shortages). These types of issues have been increasingly concerning with recent events.

For example, the war in the Middle East has caused disruptions in the Suez Canal. Container ships are being diverted and traveling around the southern tip of Africa, adding 10,000 miles and 7-10 days. This situation delays critical supplies and causes further inflation with increased costs. Additionally, the reason China has been threatening Taiwan is partially to gain control over 90% of the world’s advanced computer chips that go into everything from medical devices to critical infrastructure.

During the pandemic, the U.S. discovered it was dependent on China for critical supplies and everyday necessities. Not only can a worldwide pandemic cause disruptions of these supplies, but country specific policies can dictate whether your supply will be cut off. For example, China rolled out zero COVID policies, directly impacting production and shipping to the U.S. China could prioritize who received limited supplies.

China also wants to control the Red Sea and could decide to cut off supplies produced in other Asian countries in the region. Clearly China thinks manufacturing is essential to national security. For example, their shipbuilding capabilities are over 200 times greater than the U.S. According to the Maritime Executive, China produces more than half of all new tonnage in the world. These types of statistics are gravely concerning and the proactive will build capabilities.

Manufacturing Will Thrive in the Next Decade

As companies realize they must gain control over their supply chain to better support customers, reshoring and regional expansion of manufacturing capabilities will soar. Additionally, the cost has come into alignment for non-commodity products if you evaluate the total cost to produce, ship, store, protect, etc., China won’t have the advantage. Piles of inventory tying up cash unnecessarily are no longer acceptable, especially as customer needs change rapidly, increasing the risk of obsolescence. As interest rates soar, this situation is untenable.

Customers are not willing to accept prolonged periods of delays and stock outs. Thus, they are taking control of their supply chain and focusing on manufacturing capabilities. In addition, companies must prioritize customers and address proactively with strategic pricing and capacity decisions. Thus, smart companies are utilizing a SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning) process to proactively navigate these changing circumstances to maintain high levels of customer service, profitability, and working capital results. SIOP will bring visibility to customer and product profitability, sourcing decisions, make vs buy alternatives, capacity bottlenecks and more.

The proactive will thrive and have more opportunities than ever expected. In fact, they will be in the catbird seat. The rest will continually struggle and weaken. With the significant skills gap (refer to our recent article on where the talent has gone), the proactive executives are hoarding the “best of the best” (employees, trusted advisors, suppliers, etc.). Are you prepared to thrive?

If you are interested in reading more on this topic:
SIOP/ S&OP: Proactive Approach to Maximizing Production Output and Capacity

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Lisa Anderson was quoted in a SelectHub article when she warned that, in the area of attracting and retaining workforce talent, competitors will always try to steal your best employees.

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Manufacturing Trends 2024: Maintaining A Competitive Edge

What are the most essential manufacturing trends of 2024? I hate to burst your bubble, but this industry doesn’t just focus on AI, IoT, data mining or advanced manufacturing software.

We’re talking about the big-picture patterns that are shaping the future of manufacturing as we speak. This guide will tell you how to retain labor, keep a carbon-neutral work environment, maintain a positive reputation and more.

Key Takeaways

• Some ideal technologies for manufacturing include IoT, IIoT, AI and data mining.
• When adopting smart factories, there should be a harmonious balance between machines and humans.
• Top manufacturing process types include repetitive, discrete, process, continuous, job shop, 3D printing and more.
• Ideal ways to attract and retain manufacturing employees are giving them satisfactory work environments, liveable pay and benefits, training opportunities. and more.
• Because of the digital twin market’s resourcefulness across the manufacturing and PLM sectors, this market could hit $155.84 billion in value by 2030.

Top Trends for 2024

1. Attracting and Retaining Workforce Talent

Lisa Anderson, founder and president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., warned that competitors always try to steal the best employees.

Pay alone will not suffice. In our experience, the most important priority to retaining top talent is company culture and leadership. People do not follow companies. They follow leaders. Clients with leaders who appreciate talent, offer training and advancement opportunities, and are willing to address poor performers and tough topics are respected and successful. On the other hand, clients with volatile leaders are losing talent at a quick pace.”

To read the full article, click here.

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In the world of manufacturing, change is the only constant. How are small and medium-sized manufacturers, SMMs, to keep up with new technologies, regulations, and other important shifts let alone leverage them to become leaders in their industries? Shifting Gears, a podcast from CMTC, highlights leaders from the modern world of manufacturing from SMMs to consultants to industry experts. Each quarter we go deep into topics pertinent to both operating a manufacturing firm and the industry as a whole. Join us to hear about manufacturing sectors’ latest trends, groundbreaking technologies, and expert insights to help SMMs in California set themselves apart in this exciting modern world of innovation and change. In this episode Gregg Profozich, Director of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies at CMTC, is joined by Natalia Sephton, President, and CEO of M&R Engineering; Sarah Myers, Founder and CEO of HMP Hemp Made Products; and Lisa Anderson, Founder and President of LMA Consulting Group Inc. Natalia, Sarah, and Lisa discuss their experiences as women in manufacturing — how they started out, their professional accomplishments, and the current state of opportunities for women in the industry. The group closes with advice for the next generation of women leaders and their predictions on where they see the manufacturing industry in the next 5 to 10 years.

Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc. comments:

“There’s vast opportunity for women in manufacturing from all levels, from entry-level through executives and by sector. I work with clients in food and beverage industry, in building and construction products, healthcare, and bioscience. I find that across the board they’re looking for talented people who are interested in innovating, utilizing additional technology, and who are looking at how to increase the customer experience, profitability, cash flow, and how to put all these pieces together”.

Click here for the full story.

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CLAREMONT, Calif., March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert,  Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc. has released, “Emerging Above & Beyond: 21 Insights for 2021 from Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Technology Executives.” This special report provides insights into the challenges that manufacturers and their extended supply chains faced during the pandemic, how they adapted successfully, and what opportunities exist for the future. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.

“The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic consumed manufacturers, distributors and product-related organizations like healthcare. Early on, it became apparent that understanding, anticipating and responding to changing customer needs would be the game-changers. Staffing, supply, process flows and critical supply chain elements were stretched, re-assessed and improved to address evolving customer demand.  Providing a superior customer experience has separated the weak from the strong,” Ms. Anderson commented.

The changing market dynamics impacted all aspects of organizations. From evaluating and upgrading e-commerce platforms and reskilling the workforce to reconfiguring relationships with supplier partners, manufacturers seized opportunities to improve their position for growth. “Smart manufacturers took time to look for opportunities and innovate. Sometimes it required massive steps into uncharted territory. Other times, it required reworking and repurposing for improvement. No matter the changes required, they looked at it as a way to accelerate growth and learn from the process. There were key learnings in so many areas that I decided to call on other manufacturing, supply chain and technology experts to provide their insights and experiences.  Emerging from 2020 intact is a good place to start.  Yet, the best have the opportunity to pull significantly ahead of the competition at a rate only achieved since the Great Depression. Those who learn from the experience, adapt, build resiliency and innovate with the customer in mind will emerge above and beyond,” she said. 

“Emerging Above & Beyond: 21 Insights for 2021 from Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Technology Executives” provides critical elements to the roadmap for success. Reflective and predictive, the special report features leaders from all aspects of manufacturing, supply chain and technology. Manufacturing and distribution leaders, along with experts in technology, finance, sales and marketing and human capital, contributed their views on 2020 and insights into best practices for 2021. “The experts cover a lot of ground and provide thought-provoking ideas.  It is meant to provide takeaways for everyone,” she concluded. The special report is downloadable and available at no charge on the LMA Consulting website at: Emerging Above & Beyond: 21 Insights.

About LMA Consulting Group – Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD
Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation.  She focuses on maximizing the customer experience and enabling profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. Ms. Anderson is a recognized Supply Chain thought leader by SelectHub, named a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by arketi group, a Top 50 ERP Influencer by Washington-Frank, one of the most influential in Supply Chain by SAP and a woman leader in Supply Chain by RateLinx. She recently published I’ve Been Thinking, strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits and an eBook, Future-Proofing Manufacturing & the Supply Chain Post COVID-19. A contributor on topics including a superior customer experience with SIOP, advancing innovation and making the supply chain resilient, Ms. Anderson is regularly interviewed and quoted by publications such as Industry Week, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. For information, to sign up for her Profit Through People^TM Newsletter or for a copy of her book, visit LMA-ConsultingGroup.com.          

Media Contact
Kathleen McEntee
(760) 262 – 4080
KathleenMcEntee@KMcEnteeAssoc.com

As originally published on PR Newswire

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The Manufacturing sector and global economy in general are being affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Knowing that we will have to adapt to a “New Normal”, it will be crucial to anticipate the economic and social changes that will be needed to reduce the negative impact that the crisis is having on our lives.

The World Manufacturing Foundation called to action its partners and players from different geographies and sectors – industrial, academy and policy – to let their voices be heard on this globally relevant topic and on its impact on the manufacturing sector and beyond, to answer to the following questions.

• How global economy and manufacturing were impacted by the pandemic?
• How is the manufacturing ecosystem reacting to specific critical issues due to this transformative situation?
• What are the lessons learned, best practices and recommendations to stimulate future courses of actions in a post-COVID 19 manufacturing paradigm?

Alberto Ribolla: President, World Manufacturing Foundation

Marco Taisch: Scientific Chairman, World Manufacturing Foundation

Lisa Anderson: President, LMA – Consulting Group

Cristina Oyón: Director of Technology, Innovation and Sustainability, SPRI – The business development agency of the Basque Government

Daria Taglioni: Research Manager, Trade and International Integration, Development Research Group, World Bank

Randy Zadra: Managing Director, Integris Software, Ambassador and Member of the Steering Committee, World Manufacturing Foundation

Originally posted on the World Manufacturing Foundation.

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Are you thinking about your product supply strategy? You certainly should be! I was asked to talk on Bloomberg’s “What’d You Miss?” about reshoring since it is a hot topic in the news. I was also on a webinar with other CEOs and thought leaders recently about the Future of Manufacturing.  The reshoring conversation took the majority of the hour because it was top of mind for manufacturers as well.

The surveys are ‘adding up’:

• According to an EY survey, 83% of executives expect a regionalization of the supply chain.
• According to Supply Chain Dive, 64% of manufacturers say reshoring likely following the pandemic.
• According to Thomas Industrial Survey, 64% of manufacturers are likely to bring manufacturing production and sourcing back to N.A.

It doesn’t matter which survey is your favorite, at least review your product supply strategy in light of your current and most likely future conditions. As I said in my eBook on product supply strategies, there are many reasons compelling manufacturers to look at this topic. A few highlights include:

• Customer demand: Customers don’t care where we produce or source what. They expect immediate delivery of customized products and services.
• Customer changes: Customers expect to change their orders as their customers’ demand changes.
• Total cost: Total cost is in alignment for non-commodity products. Mexico and the U.S. provide good alternatives for customer demand in N.A.
• Working capital: Cash is relevant.  When you account for disruptions in your end-to-end supply chain as well as changing demand, it can become a significant number to watch.
• Risk & Disruption: Look no further than COVID-19 to understand the impacts. Asia shut down for a few months. Mexico and Europe were unable to supply essential businesses in the U.S. according to multiple panels (aerospace executives, large CPG etc.)

With all this said, as I commented on Bloomberg, NOT all situations make sense for reshoring (and certainly not at 100% by tomorrow morning). Instead, use uncommon common sense, conduct a rapid assessment and develop a strategy and path forward. Also, put triggers in place to proactively manage and adjust as needed. If you’d like to discuss further, please contact us.

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