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.
MxD’s Behind the Firewall: Assessing Cyber Resilience in U.S. Manufacturing
Methodology:
To obtain the necessary data, MxD partnered with APCO and surveyed 750 U.S. manufacturers. The survey, conducted in late 2023, featured input from senior-level cybersecurity decision-makers from various industrial sectors and companies of different sizes. To better analyze the findings, respondents were broken down into four sectors (aerospace and defense, defense industrial base, chemicals, and other manufacturing sectors) and two company sizes (small-medium manufacturers with 500 or fewer employees, and large manufacturers with more than 500 employees).
Key takeaways:
- 76% of surveyed manufacturers believe their companies can prevent cyber risks and respond to cyber-attacks
- 82% of manufacturers are planning to increase cybersecurity spending
- Only 43% of survey respondents have a dedicated cybersecurity leader
Quotes:
"The supply chains which support U.S. manufacturing are only as strong as their weakest link. We must strengthen at every level to ensure a resilient domestic manufacturing capability, including within the defense industrial base. We see a sense of overconfidence in our research results, which is concerning given that everyone is at risk, from the largest multinational to small- and medium-sized manufacturers who often lack the proper resources to protect themselves from cyber-attacks." — Berardino Baratta, MxD CEO
"Manufacturing sector cyber-attacks are no longer rare, one-off events. The rise in incidents shows repeated and concerted efforts to steal IP or other company data, resulting in production shutdowns, logistical delays, and more. Our manufacturing sector must stay ahead of these growing threats – and we can only do that by updating and upgrading cyber capabilities across the industry." — Michael Tanji, MxD Director of Cybersecurity
Augury’s second annual “The State of Production Health 2024” report
Methodology:
Augury partnered with Endeavor Business Intelligence to conduct the survey in March 2024. Over 700 manufacturing executives from the U.S. and Europe participated in the research and represented a wide range of manufacturing verticals. Each surveyed company featured global revenues of over $100 million with at least five manufacturing sites.
Key takeaways:
- 83% of surveyed manufacturers are investing more in AI in 2024
- 90% of manufacturers anticipate more frequent supply chain disruptions over the next 12 months
- 91% of industrial leaders fear that retiring veterans will increase the knowledge gap
Quote:
“Our 2024 findings paint a positive outlook for the industrial sector and technology adoption, as almost all (96%) leaders feel optimistic about manufacturing’s future. Manufacturers’ trust in the value of AI is rapidly growing as they enhance their organizations’ AI skills and achieve higher returns. While measuring AI’s influence on vital business objectives remains challenging for some, many industrial leaders have found their footing in 12 short months. This group of innovators will pull ahead as industry leaders and provide a blueprint for achieving the Industry 4.0 ideal.” — Saar Yoskovitz, Augury’s CEO and Co-Founder
Cisco's inaugural State of Industrial Networking report
Methodology:
Cisco partnered with Sapio Research to survey over 1,000 industry professionals from 17 countries across 20 industry sectors, including manufacturing, transportation/logistics, energy/utilities and more. Survey respondents were from companies with annual revenues of more than $100 million.
Key takeaways:
- 89% of manufacturers view cybersecurity compliance as very or extremely important
- 41% of respondents say that their OT and IT teams work independently
- 63% of those surveyed have increased spending on industrial infrastructure in the past year
Quote:
“Operational technology, and specifically the network supporting industrial operations, has become a key differentiator for organizations globally. This research spotlights how IT and OT leaders recognize that strengthening their OT security posture is critical to drive business resiliency, improve efficiencies and prepare for the next wave of innovation with AI.” — Vikas Butaney, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cisco Networking - SD-WAN, Multicloud and Industrial IoT