Predictions for 2017: ‘Smart factories’ are set to change the future of manufacturing says YCF

Jill Mooney, chief executive of Huddersfield-based YCF, a not-for-profit membership organisation for the manufacturing and processing industries, discusses the year just gone and the future of manufacturing in 2017.

What have been the biggest changes in your industry for 2016?

We think the Internet of Things (IoT) – a term to describe the process of everyday objects that have Internet connectivity – has become a fundamental consideration for manufacturers in 2016, and it signifies big things for the year ahead.

It helps companies to track and monitor their stock levels, saving time and money, by gathering real insights from the ‘big data’ they collect. Ultimately this enables manufacturers to monitor, collect, process and analyse information, to increase equipment effectiveness and throughput.

What has been your highlight for the year?

The completion of the Process Manufacturing Centre (PMC) at Kirklees College in Huddersfield. YCF was a founding partner of the training centre, so along with some of our members and the college itself, we formulated a plan to revolutionise the way that engineering apprentices are trained.

The PMC is now open and teaching the engineers of the future, on modern equipment that’s complete with ‘real life’ scenarios and health and safety considerations.

What will be the biggest changes in your industry in 2017 and anything to watch out for in terms of market trends?

2017 could be the year of the smart factory.

Simply, it’s the computerisation of manufacturing, involving systems that communicate with each other, monitor physical processes and make decisions.
The technology behind the idea isn’t simple at all. But the benefits – heightened productivity, more intricate product specifications and the potential to reach a wider customer base – are hard to ignore.

So, whilst a wholly ‘smart factory’ isn’t likely to be realised in 2017, we may see more manufacturers developing plans to implement new, collaborative machinery. Watch this space for the ‘fourth industrial revolution’!

[This is] offset with concern for the skills gaps that the manufacturing and engineering industries are already experiencing. Emerging technology requires new skills, and there’s already a short supply of people trained in high-level maintenance and repair. Plus, over the next decade, there will be 3.5m manufacturing jobs that need to be filled, according to Deloitte.

The supply chain sector therefore needs to start training people to meet this impending shortage, stresses YCF. Employers, schools and the government must push for more young people to take up vocational apprenticeships.
This is something we’ve gone some way to champion, as we helped to launch the new Process Manufacturing Centre at Kirklees College in Huddersfield, earlier this year.

Next year, we’ll be introducing a ‘skills hub’ – a forum to allow companies, careers services and budding young talent to come together in one, online space.

For manufacturing firms to remain competitive, they must adapt to an ever-changing business environment, meaning that further spending on technology is inevitable. But to implement new systems successfully they must also invest in the training and development of their people – something crucial to the survival of our industry.