Manufacturers across all sectors are experiencing a transformation as intelligent operations redefine the standards for efficiency, quality, and profitability in modern industry. Research shows that manufacturers prioritizing workflow optimization and adopting advanced technologies have outperformed their peers in revenue growth and profit margins, proving that intelligent operations are now a business imperative.

Intelligent Operations: Driving Value for Manufacturing

Leading organizations are investing heavily in automation – from mobile computers and RFID for inventory control, to AI and machine vision for quality assurance and predictive analytics. These investments directly enable major business goals such as raising profitability, boosting operational productivity, and elevating product quality.

Key findings suggest:

• Workflow improvements in quality control and assembly lines led to up to 2.4 percentage-point higher revenue growth, and 1.4 percentage-point higher profitability.
• Manufacturers leveraging these technologies reported a 19% average increase in employee productivity thanks to optimized workflows.

Optimizing Key Workflows for Maximum Impact

Quality control and assurance have seen the most meaningful advancements, with technologies like machine vision and machine learning reducing human error and improving output consistency. Meanwhile, material movement and handling remain pressing challenges, with most decision-makers aiming to improve inventory management, throughput, and overall efficiency. Investments in mobile computers, RFID sensors and tags, and AI are poised to deliver greater operational accuracy and cost reduction.

Discrete manufacturers, such as those in electronics and automotive, have realized substantial gains from intelligent workflow investments, including higher top-line and bottom-line impacts compared to process manufacturers.

The Role of AI and Data Management

AI and robust data environments are increasingly vital. Organizations with advanced, integrated data management can enable real-time, connected insights for decision-making and demand forecasting – both critical for staying agile in competitive markets. Larger manufacturers are leading the way, but mid-sized and smaller firms now have unprecedented opportunities as digital tools and machine learning capabilities become more accessible.

A key takeaway is that workflow digitization starts with standardized, high-quality data; without this foundation, manufacturers miss out on the true benefits of visualization systems, forecasting, and automation.

Industry-Wide Implications and Next Steps

The report’s in-depth interviews reveal that intelligent operations benefit the entire supply chain, enabling better collaboration from manufacturing to logistics to retail. Organizations that swiftly adopt new technologies not only survive but thrive, achieving notable improvements in business agility and operational precision.

For manufacturing leaders, the message is clear: investing in intelligent operations and workflow optimization directly correlates with stronger business outcomes, more resilient supply chains, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Download the complete report here.

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