Connected Manufacturing – Delivering to the Market of One!

Today, we announced three new solutions that will fundamentally change the way manufacturing companies operate – one area is what we have coined SAP Connected Manufacturing. Coupled with our Manufacturing 15.0 release, Connected Manufacturing leverages Internet of Things network connectivity to drive efficiency in manufacturing processes that enable companies to be more agile in delivering individualized products to increasingly demanding customer requirements.

The market of one is now a reality – customers expect individualization in their products and at the same time, speed in delivery and high quality. By providing customization options, brands raise loyalty at a time when it’s more important than ever: In a recent Bain survey of more than 1,200 global executives across a range of industries, 67% believed their customers are becoming less loyal to their brand. Equally, customization helps companies differentiate their products from those of their competitors at a time when the Internet is rapidly creating high price transparency and making it easier for customers to compare products with standard features. This puts strain on Design and Manufacturing processes – SAP Connected Manufacturing gives companies the system and process connectivity required to adapt to these unique needs and deliver individualized products with managed cost and high profitability. And it can be done! Data is everywhere, with the abundance of Social Media information and exploding Internet of Things data, manufacturing companies are bombarded with information, good information if used correctly. To be responsive and agile, companies must listen closely to their customers, decipher there needs from their comments and product definitions and as importantly listen to their assets with IoT sensors providing constant operational information to ensure timely predictive maintenance that optimizes machine up-time. SAP Connected Manufacturing is designed to utilize massive amounts of information in a real-time SAP HANA environment that enables the analysis required to meet these market and machinery demands. Some things never change – deliver what the market wants profitably and your business will succeed, the only difference now is you must deliver more quickly and efficiently in an environment where the customer has transparency in information and competitive knowledge. The key to it all – Customer Centricity!