InfinityQS – 52% of manufacturers have sights set on digital transformation

InfinityQS International Inc.’s findings of its 2021 Customer Satisfaction Survey revealed more than half of manufacturers now have their sights set on digital transformation to address concerns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. 52% of respondents reported they are currently exploring or already adopting digital transformation initiatives to enhance operational performance, with advanced analytics (24%) cited as their top technology priority.

This growth in the number of manufacturers looking to optimize their operations by leveraging digital transformation comes after a challenging year for the industry. Many organizations were forced to put their strategic agendas on hold while they contended with unprecedented operational challenges, market volatility, and economic uncertainty.

Jason Chester, director of global channel programs at InfinityQS, comments, “The pandemic exposed significant and often widespread operational weaknesses within incumbent manufacturing environments. It brought into sharp relief where legacy systems and outdated processes exacerbated the problems that manufacturers faced, alongside new challenges such as the rapid shift to remote work and supply chain disruption. Digital transformation is the key to addressing these new challenges. Data, for example, is a great way for manufacturers to increase visibility into their operations as it can provide important insights into each stage of the production process. These insights can then be leveraged to make more informed and tactical decisions to secure long-term resilience and growth.”

In addition to advanced analytics, the other most popular technologies on the priority list for respondents included the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and cloud computing. These technologies can support anytime, anywhere access to real-time data for proactive decision-making, enabling manufacturers to maximize performance, respond to fluctuations in demand, ensure flexible operations, and even build resilience for future "black-swan" events—all while maintaining high levels of product quality and safety.

Jason concludes, “For manufacturers to stay ahead of competition and remain at the top of their industry, they need to constantly adapt to their environment by making tactical digital investments. It is great to see the majority are rebounding from the pandemic and embracing digital transformation to increase their agility and maintain competitive edge. Companies that do so are better equipped to improve their operations at a faster speed and even anticipate changes before they occur.”