If you’re looking for an accurate analysis of the state of the manufacturing industry, then go straight to the source: the workers. Reputable research conducted by industry organizations is invaluable when you’re trying to make decisions for your plant or your business. In this roundup, we’ll highlight the latest surveys, reports, studies, and research that delves into the trends, topics, and technologies that are affecting the manufacturing sector.
Rockwell Automation’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report: Automotive Edition
Methodology:
182 leaders in the automotive industry from 15 countries were surveyed for the report.
Key takeaways:
- 97% of survey respondents are using or evaluating smart manufacturing technologies
- Investment in technologies increased from 23% to 31% of the operating budget from 2023 to 2024
- The top-ranking external obstacle for auto manufacturers is cybersecurity risk
- The top worker-related obstacle was improving employee engagement
Quote:
"As the automotive industry is navigating an era of rapid transformation, setting clear goals and fostering cross-departmental collaboration have emerged as critical factors—and obstacles—for success. This year's report highlights the pressing need for automotive manufacturers to prioritize organizational change management and adopt technologies that enhance the capabilities of their workforce." – James Glasson, vice president, global industry – auto, tire & advanced mobility at Rockwell Automation
Zebra Technologies’ 2024 Manufacturing Vision Study
Methodology:
1,200 C-Suite executives and IT and OT leaders from across the manufacturing sector were surveyed for this report. Repondents were located in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, with expertise in automotive, electronics, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Key takeaways:
- 61% of manufacturers expect AI to drive growth by 2029
- 92% of respondents believe digital transformation is a strategic priority for their organization
- 90% of manufacturers agree IT and OT need to work together more on strategic and development plans for digital transformation and automation
- 89% of surveyed executives think digitization projects are time, cost and labor-intensive upfront with a long window to realize ROI
Quote:
“Manufacturers struggle with using their data effectively so they recognize they must adopt AI and other digital technology solutions to create an agile, efficient manufacturing environment. Zebra helps manufacturers work with technology in new ways to automate and augment workflows to achieve a well-connected plant floor where people and technology collaborate at scale.” – Enrique Herrera, Industry Principal for Manufacturing, Zebra Technologies
Schneider Electric's The untold potential and rationale of industrial electrification in the United States
Report excerpt:
To date, 33 states have published a climate action plan or are in the process of doing so. While the transition is in full swing, strongly supported by recent and historical legislation such as the “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), current plans mostly emphasize the decarbonization of buildings and transportation.
In these two sectors, solutions exist at scale for a rapid turnaround of emissions. In this report, we argue that a significant potential also exists in industry, coupled with the need for more action. There are three reasons for this:
- Given the severity of severe weather events and other impacts of climate change, it’s critical to maximize every opportunity to decarbonize segments of the economy at rapid pace. Not all emissions are equal, and those that can be abated more rapidly hold considerably more value than longer-term prospects.
- The ongoing transitions of buildings and mobility will also have ripple effects on industries, particularly regarding natural gas prices for industrial customers. A lack of focus on industrial transitions will also entail rising prices for the sector, impacting competitiveness.
- The significant increase in domestic production capabilities (notably following the IRA) represents a major opportunity to accelerate the decarbonization of industry, if done right.
Key takeaways:
- Electrification of U.S. industry will grow from 30% to 45% by 2030, a 50% increase
- Industry may see a 25% reduction in fossil fuel demand over the same period
- U.S. industry, as a whole, will reach 64% electrification by 2040 with a corresponding 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel use
Quote:
"This new research demonstrates why electrification is the most promising and practical means of decarbonizing industry quickly. We anticipate significant acceleration across all sectors, even hard-to-abate industry, to reach decarbonization targets and maintain economic competitiveness. As we move more towards this electrified and digitized world, we're spearheading this transformation through our own investments in a robust domestic supply chain, including in the state of South Carolina to bolster our manufacturing efforts for customers." – Aamir Paul, Schneider Electric President of North America Operations