As Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, progresses the manufacturing industry into a phase of increased digitization, companies must continue to invest in emerging technologies to differentiate their strategies and advance growth.
Many manufacturers are now turning to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to support their digital and strategic transformation efforts. MSPs can provide a variety of valuable services to industrial manufacturing companies, including project management, technology implementation, business process automation and more.
In a time of skilled-labor shortages, rising production costs and supply-chain disruptions, partnering with an MSP has numerous benefits to manufacturing businesses and can set thriving manufacturers apart from the rest. Managed Service Providers can guide manufacturers as they invest in emerging technologies and develop strategies to advance growth.
Technology Infrastructure
Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and data analytics have transformed machine-based assembly lines into smart factories. With extensive industry knowledge, MSPs can provide manufacturers with the right integrated technology solutions to improve productivity, streamline processes and reduce costs.
The Internet of Things
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to physical objects with sensors and additional technologies that are connected to the internet and able to exchange data with other IoT devices. MSPs can help integrate industrial IoT solutions into business processes to increase efficiency and reduce errors. These solutions can include smart machines that can track and log data or cloud computer systems that offer critical metrics and monitor production status in real time.
Robotics and Automation
Managed Service Providers can integrate robotics, vision, software and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to help identify errors, streamline and optimize production processes. For instance, an MSP partner can customize and implement an AI model to meet a company’s specific needs. This may look like a customized predictive model that decreases equipment downtime.
Analytics
With manufacturing systems generating enormous amounts of data, MSPs can integrate sophisticated analytics software to collect operations and event data to monitor quality, increase performance and yield and optimize supply chains.
Enterprise Resource Systems
MSPs recognize the importance of enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM) and production lifecycle management (PLM) systems to drive efficient processes, collect real-time data and ensure accurate financials.
Whether through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or legacy systems, manufacturers are often working with tools that lack integration and key features and are complex to update. MSPs can modernize and consolidate ERP systems by helping manufacturers move to the cloud. A cloud-based ERP system creates visibility across all critical functions and ensures the latest security controls, driving supply chain agility and deepening customer relationships.
Compliance and Regulations
With an increased focus on sustainability, safety and ethical business practices, compliance in manufacturing is a top strategic priority. Manufacturer’s must adhere to technical, legal, corporate and government regulation and requirements that cover safety, environmental impact, labeling, and product specifications.
MSPs with deeply rooted industry expertise can advise on the right machinery, software and sensors to ensure compliance and mitigate risks. By automating processes and integrating the right technology solutions into business workflows, manufactures can achieve the safety assurance necessary to fuel a culture of responsibility, accountability and innovation.
Security and Risk Management
As industry reliance on digital technologies increases so does manufacturer vulnerability to cyberattacks. MSPs can offset and eliminate risks by safeguarding data and systems against threats by utilizing a variety of intervention strategies, including:
- Disaster recovery plans
- Non-stop information technology (IT) security management
- Malware detection and removal
- Data protection
By outsourcing cybersecurity efforts to Managed Service Providers, manufacturers can focus their attention on higher value strategic tasks.
Around-the-Clock Technical Support
Manufacturing operations are often continuously running and involve a wide range of activities, from initial design to final delivery, to be successful. Hiring an MSP to provide 24/7 IT troubleshooting and support ensures little to no disruption in manufacturing operations.
Your MSP Partner
Cherry Bekaert has deep experience in the industrial manufacturing industry and has proven success in helping organizations thrive along their digital transformation journey. Our Managed Service Provider practice takes a holistic approach to your information technology practice and allows you to focus on your primary business, operations and customers while we can take care of your specific outsourcing needs.
The right MSP should be able to manage demand based on a manufacturer’s unique need and provide deep expertise and end-to-end service across the product lifecycle. Cherry Bekaert’s Digital Advisory Managed Services understands the importance of the client experience across engagement, delivers ongoing continuous improvements and drives predictable results and ROI. Learn how Cherry Bekaert helped Colonna’s Shipyard with their digital transformation journey by building a robust IT Infrastructure focused on automation, security, privacy and reliability.
About Cherry Bekaert
In today’s rapidly evolving market, businesses look for innovative ways to continue to meet changing customer needs and manage profitable revenue growth. Cherry Bekaert’s Digital Advisory team is comprised of strategists, technologists and analysts who have broad industry experience and keen business acumen.
We drive important change management and ignite growth in productive, cost-effective ways by helping companies predict outcomes with data while adopting and applying relevant technologies to optimize performance.
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