industrial manufacturing workforce future trends

The industrial workforce of the future starts here

The manufacturing world has been buzzing for a few years now about the tech-driven, digitally-empowered, sky-is-the-limit transformation called The Fourth Industrial Revolution. There’s only one catch – there aren’t enough revolutionaries to go around. The manufacturing shop floor may be all Internet of Things, but the manufacturing workforce is still just trying to figure out […]

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AR VR industrial plant maintenance

Trends in Plant Maintenance and Manufacturing: The Rise of AR & VR

In an industrial world where the reality of plant maintenance is, for many, still defined by 19th century resources like shop rags (versus plentifully available high-tech industrial wipers), it may seem strange to discuss seemingly futuristic innovations such as Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR). But new research from global management consultancy PwC points […]

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industrial hygiene

What Harvard knows about hygiene that every manufacturer should, too

Managers may not always think of the words “manufacturing” and “hygiene” in the same sentence – but management experts at leading institutions like Harvard and The George Washington University certainly do. In fact, they and other leading thinkers and practitioners are helping shape the discipline known as industrial hygiene. This is a field that extends […]

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accident prevention and safety

Three ways plant managers can reduce slip, trip and fall accidents

It’s the $11 billion question – how can US industry avoid slip, trip and fall (STF) accidents on the job? That’s how much those types of workplace accidents cost manufacturers and other employers each and every year. Fortunately, this costly question has a few relatively easy answers. One: Take advantage of the right materials and […]

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Food safety

Four steps to better food safety (and better food processing profits)

Food recalls are up dramatically, with a four-fold increase in just the last few years. This situation not only threatens public health, it also undermines the financial health of affected corporations. The average food recall in the U.S. costs food processors $10 million in direct costs, while long-term financial impacts can be even greater, due […]

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Integrated Supply Changing Industry Landscape

The past, present & future of the integrated supply chain revolution

Since the introduction of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) in the 1980s, it has rapidly evolved into a way to control costs, improve process and strengthen the vendor and customer relationship. Given the impact that effective integration can have on the bottom line, and the rate at which the processes and technologies behind it are changing, […]

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3D printing: New dimensions in profitability and sustainability

The recent excitement around consumer-grade 3D printers may make it seem like there is a hot new tech fad emerging. In fact, 3D printing began in the 1980s, and has been heating up in the manufacturing space for some time. It currently represents a six-billion-dollar industry – one that is set to grow exponentially. The […]

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