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ransgressingscientifichistories,Wright
TBrothersturnedafairytaledreamintoa reality!
Pioneeringtheartofaircraftmanufacturing,the Americanduoinvented,built,andflewthemotor operatedairplane.Thisworld-famouseventigniteda sparkofaeronauticalengineeringthatlaterprovedto beastartlingeffectontheinnovationand developmentoftheaviationsector.
Beittheflyingofconventionalaircraftorinnovative technologiesofaviation;theaeronauticalspacehas beenwitnessingarevolutionforcenturies.
Oncelimitedtogovernmentalagenciesand transnationalorganizations,theaviationsectorisnot inthehandsofahandfulofelitesanymore.Opening uptothemasses,theindustryhasembracedmany industrialists,scientists,andentrepreneurs.
Inmyopinion,theliberalizationofindustrieslike aviationhasprovedtousthatWEasaglobal communityhavetraveledfromtheclutchesof aristocraticmonopolytoaneraofsocialupliftment, transcendingintoabrightfutureofsocialequity.
Rollingaheadofthecorporatizationofaviation,technology leadersareredefiningtheindustrywithaninnovativehand ofaerospacetechsolutionproviders.
Today,governments,transnationalorganizations,and privateaviationcompaniesareopenlyavailingof technologysolutionsandaviationservicesfromprivate entitiestoo.Knowingthesedevelopmentsinaviation services,itisinterestingtoseecreativesolutionsintroduced bythenewtechnopreneurs.Thisisnotonlyaddingupto theblossomingofworldrevenueingeneralbutalso propellingaviationindustrygrowthinspecificity
Tosharesuchstoriesthatmadeadifferenceintheworldof aviationisournewEdition,"10MostPromising AerospaceTechSolutionProviders.”
FeaturingonthecoveristhetechnologyharborComponentControl,anindustryleaderwhohasa combinedexperienceofsixdecadesinmanufacturingand logisticsintheaviationindustrywhiletrailblazingthe communityandexemplifyingtechnologyleadership!
Ihopeyoutravelthroughtheseinterestingstoriesof aerospacetechsolutionprovidersandboostyour entrepreneurialzeal,bringingupinnovationandcreativity intothebusinessworld.Whileyouflipthroughthepages, makesuretoreadtheinsightfularticleswrittenbyour editorialteam.
Haveahappyread!
14bisSupplyTracking 14bis.aero
14bisisadiverseteamoftechnologyexpertsandinnovatorswith amissiontoturncomplex,disparatelogisticsandsupplychains intohighfunctioningenvironmentstosecuredigital,physicaland hybridassets.
AVIAGESYSTEMS aviagesystems.com
BallCorporation ball.com
BEIPrecision beiprecision.com ComponentControl componentcontrol.com
Infor infor.com
Chairman MarkMirelez
PresidentandCEO DanielTautges SeniorVicePresident
AVIAGESYSTEMShelpsChina'slargeaircraftdream,C919 coreavionicssystemsupplierandintegrator
BallCorporationisaproviderofmetalpackagingfor beverages,foodsandhouseholdproducts,andofaerospaceand othertechnologiesandservicestocommercialand governmentalcustomers.
BEIPrecisionopticalencodersareavailableinavarietyof configurationsandsizestomeetthedemandsofanycustomer inanyenvironment.
ComponentControl,theleadingdeveloperandproviderof MROandLogisticsSoftwarefortheaviationindustry,isbased inSanDiego,California.
Leonardo leonardocompany.com
MaxAerospace maxmroservices.com
AlessandroProfumo
FounderandCEO BharatMalkani
Inforisagloballeaderinbusinesscloudsoftwareproductsfor companiesinindustryspecificmarkets.Inforbuildscomplete industrysuitesinthecloudandefficientlydeploystechnology thatputstheuserexperiencefirst,leveragesdatascience,and integrateseasilyintoexistingsystems.
Leonardodevelopsmulti-domainoperationalcapabilitiesinthe Aerospace,DefenceandSecuritysectors,shapingtheir evolutionovertime.
OPAL-RT TECHNOLOGIES opal-rt.com
synesis7.com
Chairman WallaceAragao TeamLead-Marketing
MaxMROServicesPvt.Ltd.isIndia'sleadingprivatesector ComponentMRO.Ajoint-venturewithAirFrance,the companyisapprovedbyDGCA(CAR145),EASA(EASA145) &FAA(FAR145).
OPAL-RTTECHNOLOGIESistheleadingdeveloperofopen Real-TimeDigitalSimulatorsandHardware-In-the-Loop testingequipmentforelectrical,electro-mechanical,andpower electronicsystems.
Synesis7,awomanandveteran-ownedsmallbusinessfounded in2001,isfocusedonthreeserviceareas:Solutions&Systems Integration,AdvancedIntelligentSolutions,andManaged Services;andhascultivatedauniquenicheasaSubjectMatter ExpertinS1000DServicesandTraining.
Thegritandcommitmenttotackleanyadversityis whatdrivesanenterprisetowardsachieving unparalleledexcellence.Theinitialphaseofthe COVID-19pandemichadputbusinessesandentrepreneurs tothetest.Thosewhostrovetopivotandscaletheir businessoperationsinthisperiodleveragedresourcesand opportunitiesandweretheonesimmunetotheripplesof thepandemic’simpact.
WeatInsightsSuccesscameacrossasimilarstoryinour endeavortofindthe10MostPromisingAerospaceTech SolutionProvidersin2021.ThestoryofComponent Controlanditsjourneyasaprominentnameinthe industry
HeadquarteredinSanDiego,CA,ComponentControlwas originallyfoundedover30yearsagoandgrewdramatically asasoleproprietorshipuntilitspurchasebyCAMPin 2016.Asasoleproprietorship,thecompanyinitiallyoffered aDOSsoftwareprogramcalled QuickQuote
Inthelate1990s,thecompanyturneditsfocustoaviation andreleased Quantum Control Thecorefunctionalityof thissoftwarewasdesignedtoefficientlymanageparts inventoryfortheaviationaftermarketsector.
Overtheyears,QuantumControlhasevolvedintoafully integratedERPandhasexpandedtosupportadditional aviationsectorssuchasmanufacturing,MRO (Maintenance,Repair,andOverhaul),andaircraft maintenance.
QuantumControlwasdesignedtostreamlinedaily operationswhileadheringtothecomplexcertificationrules ofcomplianceputforthbytheaviationauthorities worldwide.TheQuantumsoftwareisnowdeployedin nearly70countriesandhasover1,700customers.
ComponentControl’send-to-end,fullyintegratedsoftware systemsupportsthemanagementofMROoperationswhile complyingwithindustryregulations.Thesoftware encompasses Q-STEP, Quantum Express,and Quantum Enterprise platforms,whichcollectivelyenableMROs, aircraftmaintenancefacilities,manufacturers,andlogistics companiestoefficientlymanagedailybusinessoperations.
Q-STEPisdesignedforentry-leveltraderswithinthe aviationspace,whileQuantumExpressisformid-sized
“ “MROsandlogisticscompanies.Finally,Quantum Enterpriseaddsamultitudeoffeaturestomeetvarious businessrequirementssuchascontractmanagement,eventbasedautomation,andanalyticreporting.
Additionally,QuantumControlintegrateswith StockMarket.aero,InventoryLocatorService(ILS), Aeroxchange,andB2B-aeroprovidingacompleteonline tradingandcommerceenvironmentforaircraftpartsand equipmentrepair.Quantum’smodularplatformprovides businessestheflexibilitytodeployfunctionalitiesthatbest suittheirneedsastheyevolveandgrow
“On-demandapplications,utilizingthelowercoststructure ofcloudcomputing,willbethemosttransformative businessmodelforthenextdecadeasMRObusinesses seektoaccessresourcesandinformationviawebenabled devices,”saysDanielTautges,theSeniorVicePresident atComponentControl.
Daniel’sprofessionalbackgroundincludesfinancial operation,sales,marketing,andstrategyforadvanced software,hardware,andtelecomproducts.Inhiscurrent roleastheSeniorVP,heisresponsibleforcompany revenue,marketing,strategy,alliances,andbusiness development.
Inhis25-yearlongcareer,DanielhasheldseveralSenior Managementpositionsinearly-stageandpubliclytraded companies,includingtheCEOofPinpointWorldwide, PresidentofnlyteSoftware,VicePresident,Sales& MarketingatRackwise,VicePresidentofMicromuseand VicePresidentoftheINSoftwareBusinessandGlobal ChannelSalesorganization,atLucentTechnologies.
Sharinghisopiniononwhytheadoptionofmodern technologiesisnecessaryintheaerospaceindustryandhow ComponentControlhassteppedupinthetechgameto delivercomprehensiveservicestotheirclientele,Daniel says,“Intheheavilyregulatedaviationindustry,theconcise documentationofaircraftmaintenanceworkandcustodial controlofpartsplaysacrucialroleinMROoperations. Organizationsneedacomprehensiverecordoftheservices associatedwiththereplacementofpartsalongwiththetype ofoperationscarriedoutbyMROstothoroughlytrack changesmadetoanaircraft.”
“QuantumControlhelpsorganizationsstandardizework ordermanagement,inventorysales,contracts,andrequests forquotation(RFQs),therebyloweringthecostsof operationsandmaintainingthechainofcustodyofaircraft
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installedequipment.TheROIforanERPsoftwaresystem iscompelling.Therearesometimesinvestmenthurdlesor lackofITbandwidth. ComponentControlhasovercome thisbyofferingSaaSmodelsandCloudManaged Solutions. Amodularapproachtoimplementationalso providesscaleforsmallercustomerstogetstartedandgrow intoalargersolutionwhenneeded,”headds.
TalkingaboutthechallengesthattheComponentControl Teamfacedduringthepandemicandthemeasuresthat weretakentotacklethem,Danielsays,“Theaviation marketwasseverelyimpactedbythepandemic.Severalof ourcustomerswerefacingcashshortages,engagedin furloughs,andpreservingcash.Whilemanyofour competitorsfollowedsuit,wetookaveryaggressive approachbyworkingwithourcustomerstorestructure payment,providingextendedfreetrials,andspendingmore onproductandservicedevelopment.Newproductsand servicesthatweredevelopedweredesignedtoassistour customers’remoteworkforce.Newmobileapps,hosting offerings,andworkflowapplicationsweredevelopedto supportthesedistributedenvironments.”
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Sharingapieceofadvicetothoseaspiringtoventureinto theaviationtechnicheDanielsays,“stalledgrowthin2020 wasananomalyforaviation.Themarketwillcontinueto growandexpand. Innovationinaviationistrulyexciting withnewelectricpropulsion,VTROL,commercialplanes flyinggreaterthanthespeedofsound.Theseandother technologieswilloffermanyopportunitiesto entrepreneurs.”
WhenaskedabouthowheenvisionsonscalingComponent Control’soperationsandofferingsin2021,Danielstates, “thelargestpartofourannualbudgetisR&D.Wecontinue tofocusoureffortstoimproveandexpandonourplatform. Multi-platformapplications(Web-Mobile),expansionof ouranalyticsreporting,aswellasintegrationswith3rd partyprovidersareallinourcurrent2021roadmap.”
Thesupplychainindustryisevolvingatasignificant rate.Previously,companieshaveexperienced difficultiesmanagingtheirsupplychainsduetothe lackoftrackingcapabilitiesandtransparency.
Companiescansolvetheseissuesandmaximizeefficiencyin theirsupplychainbyusingblockchaintechnology.Itcan potentiallyeliminatemanycommonproblemsviz.,product counterfeitingordisputesoverpaymenttermsamongsuppliers andcustomers.
Industryexpertspredictthat2022willbeanimportantyearfor thisemergingtrend;itmarkswhensignificantplayerswithin theindustrywilladoptblockchain-basedsystemsintotheir operationsonalargescalebecausetheyseeitsbenefits firsthand.
Forbusinessestostaycompetitiveglobally,theymustfind innovativewaystoimplementblockchaintechintotheir supplychainoperations.Thisiswhere14bisSupplyTracking (www.14bis.aero)entersthestage.
BasedinBurlington,Massachusetts,14bisSupplyTracking providesinnovative,trustworthy,andcomprehensivesupply chainandlogisticssolutionstotheAerospaceandDefense industries.
Inthefollowinginterview,EleanorMitch,theCo-founder andCEO,shedslightonthecurrentlandscapeofthesupply chainindustry,how14bisSupplyTrackingcontinuesto
strengthenitsfoothold,andhervisionforthecompany’s future.
Belowarethehighlights.
Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourcompany,itsUSPs, anditsjourneysofarasaleadingnameintheaerospace techniche.
14bisSupplyTracking(14bis)isaDeepTechcompany foundedin2017andhasfocusedonitsbeachheadmarket AerospaceandDefensetoprovidedigital,physical,andhybrid assettrackingsoftwareproducts.14bisstartedbyexhibitingat the2017ParisAirShowinthefirst-everStart-upShowcase. Fromthat,thecompanywasselectedforitstrackingproducts toparticipateinthefirstcohortoftheAirForce’sTech AcceleratorwithTechstars.
Winningmultipleawards(SAPandLufthansaGroupSupplier Award,DefenseTechConnect,MassVenturesSTART),the companyhassecuredcommercialanddefensecontractswith keyorganizations.Now,in2021,14bishasthreeproducts availabletocustomers:MaintenanceandReliabilityTracker, SupplyChainandLogisticsTrackerandaConnectorproduct.
Tellusaboutyourrangeofofferingswhichmakeyour companyasymbolofexcellentqualityandservice.
BasedinBurlington,MA(USA),14bissoftwareproductstrack digital,physical,andhybridassets,providinginteroperability (hardwareandsoftwareagnostic).Customersreceivecomplete
andsecureassetchain-of-custodyoverdisparatesoftware systemsasdataflowssecurely,eliminatingdatagapsand providesactionableknowledgeandinsight.Digitalassetscan bedifferentdataformatsandtypes(semi-structured, structured,andunstructureddata).
14bisassettrackingproductsprovidedataanalyticswith enhancedidentitymanagementanddatasecurityacross heterogeneousenvironments.Atpresent,14bisproducts providean80%savingsintimespentupdatingdatabetween systemsandinputtingpaper-baseddocumentationdataalone. Results:streamlinedbusinessprocessesandinformeddecisionmakingwithreliable,accuratedataandanalytics.
Consideringthecurrentpandemicanditsimpactonglobal economies,whatchallengesdidyouandyourteamface duringtheinitialphaseofthepandemic,andhowdidyou pivotyouroperationstoovercomethosechallenges?
Somanycommercialbusinesseshadtoshifttotheworkfrom home(WFH)model,sosomecontractswerestalledasweall triedtosortouthowtocontinuethebusiness.Thoughworking insoftware,wewerenotinordinatelychallengedbythe pandemicandWFHshift.Wespentthepandemicfocussingon maintainingexcellenceforourexistingcustomersandwere abletotakeadvantageofthecommutingtimesavedbyWFH toadvanceonbuildingourproducts.
Amajoradvantageoftheshiftfromin-persontovirtualwe experiencedwasintradeshows,engagement,andnetworking opportunitiestovirtualattendance.Ithasallowedustoexpand ourpresenceatnumerouswebinarsandonlineevents. Allowingustobuildrelationshipspreviouslyconstrainedby theavailabilityofresources.Ithasallowedlargeraccessfor engagementwithindustry,leaders,andpotentialclientelenot aseasilyaccessiblepre-pandemic.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononwhythe adoptionofmoderntechnologiesisnecessaryforthe aerospaceindustryandhowyouhaveleveragedthese technologiestodelivercomprehensiveservicestoyour clientele?
Moderntechnologiescanhelptheaviationindustryoperations, securityandincreasethemarketopportunityforecosystem participants.AccordingtoOliverWyman’s2021“GLOBAL FLEETANDMROMARKETFORECAST2021-2031”.The aviationindustryisgoingtohavetospendabouttenyears catchinguptopre-COVIDlevels.Forthisreason,aviation mustseekopportunitiesinmoderntechnologiestodrive growthandoptimizeprocessesandsecurity.Inaddition, advancesinautonomousvehicleswillopennewopportunities fornewactorsthatmaybecapitalizedon.
Modern technologies are the crux of our product development and business, so we are true believers in the ability to leverage them for the benefit of the aviation industry.
Asadeeptechcompanyleveragingblockchaintechnologyand analytics,weseeanopportunityfornewmarketplayers.We havefocusedonbuildingproductsandsolvingcorecustomer problemstohelpourcustomersaccessnewinsightsfrom secure,verifiabledata.
Moderntechnologiesarethecruxofourproductdevelopment andbusiness,sowearetruebelieversintheabilitytoleverage themforthebenefitoftheaviationindustry.However,wealso spendagreatdealoftimeunderstandingandensurethe usabilityofourproducts.Afterall,justhavingshinynewtech won’tsolvecorebehavioralorprocessissueswithoutthe abilitytohelpadoptionandmakeiteasyforuserstouseand complywithrequirements.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurswho aspiretoventureintotheaerospacetechniche?
Spendthetimespeakingwithpeopleinoperationsto understandhowthingsworkandwhatrealneedsare.Itisgreat tobeexcellentatacertaintechnology;however,withouta deepunderstandingofuserneeds,thetechnologywillnot providethepromisedbenefits.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany’soperations andofferingsin2022?
WehavestartedscalingexistingproductsforDefenseand Aerospaceclientsandareplanningtolaunchanotherproduct byQ12022.WereceivedinvestmentfromMassVentures (STARTAward)inadditiontoexistingcontractrenewals,so wearecurrentlyhiringmoretalenttostrengthenouroperations capabilitiestocontinuouslysupportorgrow.Ourgoalisto provideavarietyofproductsthatmeetcoreend-userneeds. OurcoregeographiesaretheUS,Europe,andBrazil.
T intechnologyamidstthepandemic.Theaviation spaceissimplyreactingtothenewwaveof technologyandisfollowingtheemergingtrendstostay abreastwiththedemandsandexpectationsofmodern passengers.
heaviationindustryisexperiencingadvancements
AnewmarketstudyispredictingaCAGRof46percentfor AI,especiallyintheaviationindustry.ARisrapidlybeing usedtodeliverahighlypersonalizedexperiencetothe passengerstogeneratethemaximumcustomersatisfaction significantlyovertime.
Asaresultofthepandemic,low-costcarriershavebecome thepreferredchoiceofpassengers.Thetravelersare expectingapersonalizedexperience,fromthebooking stagetillaftertheirjourneyiscomplete.Theaviation industryisleveragingsentimentanalysistocomprehend itscustomerneedsandformulateitscustomerrelationship strategy.
TheinternationalAirtransportassociationdeterminesthe intensiveuseoftrendingtechnologieslikecybersecurity, robotics,automation,3Dprinting,virtualandaugmented reality,IoT,bigdata,alternativeandrenewableenergy sources,aerodynamicdesigns,andgeospatialtechnologyas aprominentdevelopmentintheaviationspace.
Moreover,implementationoffuturisticadvanceslikethe hyperloopandexpandingprominenceofthehighly sophisticatedAR/VRtechnology,theaviationindustryisin anenergeticstate.
Letuslookatthescenarioofemergingtrendsinthe aviationtechnology:
Artificialintelligenceispersonalizing,enhancing,and upscalingthedigitalconnectionsbetweenairlinepersonnel andpassengers.
AI,andML,ontheotherhand,arebeingappliedtorectify thesocialsentimentsofthepassengers,anditishelpingthe aviationspacetodiversifyitsservicesasperthechanging needsandpersonalizedrequirementsoftheirpassengers.
Inoperations,AIisbeingappliedtocreatevirtualassistants toresolvecustomerqueries,enhancetheoperationsof aviationspace,andself-servicesectionswithaugmented reality.ThealgorithmsofAIinaviationsystemsare rectifyingflightdelaysanderrorsintheinternalcontrol unitsoftheaircraft.
Ontheotherhand,ARissimplifyingthecriticalprocessof screeningbaggage;customerscanhavethesizeoftheir baggagedeterminedbeforetheyarriveattheairport.
ArtificialIntelligenceistransformingtheaviationspaceby enhancingitsoperationsbyeventuallyminimizingthe
repairandlaborcosts.Also,engagingcustomerswith improvedfacilitiesandservicesattheairport.
Theshifttowardsdemocratizationofdataisenablingand empoweringtheaviationspacetomakestrategicdecisions basedonreal-timedata.
CombinedwithAIandML,bigdataisassistingthe aviationspaceinpredictingandforecastingcustomer behaviortoimplementtherequiredstrategy Asaresult, thisdataisgainingareputationasavaluableassetinthe digitalera.However,itiswisetoproactivelydevelopthe dataminingtechniquestogenerateastrongplanwithhigh possibilitiesofsuccess.
Asaviationmachinesarebecomingsmarterwiththe innovativeadvancementsoftechnology,auto-pilotplanes arecomingintoexistence.Withtheintroductionof advancementsintechnology,theuseofcomputersand digitalsystemsisbecominginevitableasitisenhancing performanceinexecutingtasks.Automationisalso improvingtheutilizationofcontrolsystemsandreducing therequirementofhumaninterference.
Hybrid RPA (Robotic Process Automation) isintegrated withtheactiveuseofAI,makingitsuccessfulforan aircrafttocompleteitsjourneywithoutanymanual involvement.Currently,aircraftarecompletingtheir maximumjourneyontheauto-pilotmode,withthepilots takingcontroloftheaircraftduringtake-offandlanding.
Although,maintainingthesafetyandstabilityofthe journeyrequiresahumanpilottomantheaircraft,given thattherearefewuncertaintiesandrisksinvolved.
Anotherautomationsystemis Auto Throttle.Auto-throttle controlsthethrustcreatedfromtheenginebymanagingthe flowofaviationfuel.Itautomaticallyidentifiesthe parametersoftheengineandcontrolsitspowerunderall circumstances,thatincludestake-offaswell.
Implementationof Anti-skid braking systems – A modulatingsystemthatcancontrolthebrakingpressureby givingthemaximumbrakingtotheaircraftbyreleasingthe brakingwheelsautomaticallybeforeitskidsorlocksup.It alsopermitsthepilottochoosevariousdecelerationratesto brakewhiletheaircraftislanding.
Biometricadvancementslikefacial,irisrecognition,and fingerprintauthenticationarebecomingadefaultwayof verification.Theintegrationofthesesystemsonairport check-insandmigrationproceduresiscreatingapaperless verificationprocess,expandingittobaggageclaim,and enablingthepassengerstokeepreal-timetrackoftheir luggage.
Theworldiseventuallygettinginterconnected,and connectivityisbecominganecessity AftertheWi-Filoungeairportservices,airlinesareofferingthisprovision insidetheflight.
ManyairlinesareprovidingWi-Fiservicesondomesticand internationalflightstoletpassengersexperiencean entertainingflightjourney
- Abhishek JoshiAlmost24monthsintoanenvironmentthatno businessorleadercouldhaveplannedfor,our lives—bothpersonalandprofessional—havebeen foreverchanged.Thepandemicforcedmanyorganizations tore-evaluatetheirbusinessstrategies,properties,and operatingmodels,butmoreimportantly,howtheytreated, developed,andcaredfortheiremployees.
Havingbest-in-classemployeesrequiresthatwetreateach andeverypersonwithgenuinecarebydevelopingforwardthinkingstrategies,providingauthenticengagement,anda positiveimpactontheircareerjourney AtSouthwest,it's aboutmorethanjustattractingandretainingtalent-it'salso aboutdoingtherightthingbyourpeople.
Afternearly30yearsatSouthwestAirlines,Ican confidentlysayouremployeeshavealwaysbeenourkey differentiator.Ourpurposeistoconnectpeopletowhat's importantintheirlivesthroughfriendly,reliable,andlowcostairtravel.Thathingesonhavingthebestpeopleinthe business.Everywhereyougo,youcanfindacustomerwho hasafunortouchingstorythatwouldn'tbepossible withouttheamazingpeoplewhoworkatSouthwest.
Inour50-yearhistory,therehasneverbeenaquestionof whereourprioritieslie—ourbiggestassetwillalwaysbe ouremployees.Whathaschangedisthe how.Howdoyou ensureyourpeoplearecaredfor,feelsupported,feel recognized,andcontributetoyourwinningculture? OurfounderHerbKelleheroncesaid,"Ifyoudon'tchange, youdie."Wetakethattoheart.
Theenvironmentaroundushaschangedsignificantlysince March2020.Weknowmanyorganizationsarefacingwhat hascolloquiallybeencalled"TheGreatResignation,"orat theminimum,haveemployeesexperiencingburnout,
Linda Rutherford is known for crea ng and leading powerful teams that deliver award-winning communica on and employee engagement ac vi es for one of the most beloved brands in the world. Rutherford is the Execu ve Vice President of People & Communica ons and serves as Chief Communica ons Officer for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the na on's largest airline in terms of domes c Customer boardings. She oversees Communica on & Outreach, Culture & Engagement, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, People (Human Resources), and the Southwest Airlines University, which is the Company's Employee development and training func on.
Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1992, she was a journalist in the Dallas area, including working for the Dallas Times Herald, and she began her career with Newsweek magazine in New York. Linda graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She is married to Michael, and together they are proud parents to Allison (22) and Ma hew (24).
fatigue,andstress.Admittedly,SouthwestAirlinesisnot immunetothesechallenges,buthowweproactivelyaddress ouremployeeshasbeenkey
Asanorganization,wesetouttocareforthewholeemployee withafocusontheemployeeexperience,mentalhealth,and well-being,andwithouraward-winningculture.Inalignment withourSouthwestWayvalues,weaimtosupportan
environmentwherethe"me"(howIshowup),the"we" (howweworktogether),andthe"Southwest"(howwe succeed)arefosteredcohesively.Duringatimeofextreme stressanduncertainty,aswe'vebeeninthepasttwoyears, ourworkaroundlivingourvaluesbycaringforemployees ateverystageoftheiremployeejourneyhasbecome imperative.
First,asleaders,wehavetoacknowledgethatwhathappens atworkimpactsouremployeesathome,justlikehowthe environmentalfactorsathomecanimpactperformanceand engagementatwork.Wecan'taddresstheemployee experienceinasilo.Well-beingismultifacetedandrequires ahumanapproachbyleaderstotheiremployees.Weoften leanontheGalluporganizationresources,includingtheir approachtowell-beingatwork.
Asorganizations,wemustaimtoaddresseachaspectof well-being,bethatcareer,community,physical,financial, orsocial1.Whatthatlookslikeshouldvarybasedon employeeneeds.AtSouthwest,itlookslikeofferingan EmployeeAssistanceProgramforsupport,webinars focusedonplanningforretirement,andincentivized recognitionprograms.Ourvaluesdefineus,andour leadershipcompetenciesoutlinethekindofvirtueswelook forinourleaders.
Leadersserveinamultidimensionalrolethatcaresforthe businessandpeople.Thisrequiresleadingbyexample.By beingvulnerable,honest,andauthentic,theysetan environmentandtonethatsupportsatwo-waydialogue.At SouthwestAirlines,weseekservantleadersthataimtocare forandliftothers.Weseethishappenatalllevelsofthe organizationandaimtofosteracultureofloveand communityinallaspectsofourbusiness.
Wedothisthroughbuildingacultureofcaringand authenticity.Itstartswithlisteningtoemployeesthrougha varietyoftools.Forexample,ourEmployeeInsightsTeam worksdiligentlytocraftemployeesurveysthatgettothe rootofemployeebehaviors,needs,anddesires.The feedbackandinsightsfoundinthosesurveysdon'tgo unnoticedasourentireorganizationworkstodevelop actionplansinresponse.Butweknowsurveysaren't enough;wemustactivelyengageemployeesthrough multipleavenues.Ourleadersspendtimeinthefield, visitingourstationsacrossthecountry,listeningtoand learningfirst-handfromouremployees.
Thefeedbackfromthesevisitsiscapturedandtakeninto accountbyourCulture&EngagementTeam.Equally importantisthetimespentwithemployeesdoingtheirdayto-dayjobs,asthisprovidestheopportunitytofindquick winstochallengesandtocelebratetheincredible hospitalitythatouremployeesprovidecustomerseveryday
Thosemomentsthatmatterismarkedalonganemployee journeythatourteamsusetoguideourengagement strategy.Wehaveemployeesfromallwalksoflife, backgrounds,ages,andraces,andwiththat,differentneeds. Thecurrentworkforcespansbabyboomerstothemost recententryofgenz,andouremployeejourneytriesto pinpointthemomentsthatmattermosttothem,allowing foracustomizedapproach.
Forexample,amomentthatmatterstoanewemployee maybetheironboardingexperienceortheirsix-month anniversaryatSouthwest.Itmarksamajormilestone,and weaimtocelebrateandacknowledgeit.Theinsightstaken fromemployeesurveysandinsightgroupshelpeddefine thesekeyturningpoints—onepivotalmomentthatroseto thetopwascareergrowth,anewrole,orpromotion.
Othermomentsdeemedimportantweren'tnecessarilytied totheirjobs/careersbutwerelifemomentssuchasgetting married,thebirthofachild,oreventheunimaginableloss ofalovedone.OurInternalCustomerCareTeamcaresfor ourpeopleduringtheselifemomentstoensurewe acknowledge,celebrate,andsupportthewholeemployee.
IconictoourCultureandinalignmentwithourvalues,we alsoalwayslookforopportunitiesforourEmployeesto havefun.Acrossoursystem,wedressupforHalloween, wecelebrateholidays,andwehaveanappreciationand CompanywideeventstobringEmployeestogetherliveand virtually.OurRallyseasonhastravelingeventsinmultiple citiesweservethatupdateourpeopleonthebusiness,but also,andmostimportantly,aimstoallowemployeesto gatherandcelebrate.Theseopportunitiestoconnectand havefunarealongtraditionthatreinforcesourculture,and wefoundadditionalwaystoutilizetechnologytoexpand audiencesvirtuallyalongtheway
Somuchofcaringforthewholeemployeeisgroundedin ourvaluesandfocusingonthehumanityofourpeople.I startedasapublicrelationscoordinatoratSouthwest Airlinesnearly30yearsago.Ourwinningcultureandbestin-classleadershipledmetowhereIamtoday.Iknowfirsthandthattheemployeesyoucareforwill,inturn,carefor yourbusinessandcustomers.
Caringforouremployeeshasproventobeavirtuouscircle. Weaimtotreateachotherlikeafamily—thatequipsour employeestoserveourcustomersandthenourshareholders tobenefitfromhealthybusinessreturns.Nowmorethan ever,organizationsmustmovetowardthehumanitymodel ofcaringforemployeesandrecognizethatthemost importantassettheycanmanageisthetalenttheyretainand growinternally
heconceptoftheexistenceofhumanlifeonthe
Tearthmaynotbenew,butpassionforflyingisstill veryenthusiasticandexcitingforeveryone.
Perhapssincetheexistenceofourlife,thehumanbeinghas hadthedesiretofly
Thisdesirecameintofruitionwithtechnological advancements.Inthismodernera,technologyhasthe powertodomanythings,anditcanchangetheworldtoo. Oneofthefinestexamplesoftechnologicaladvancementis theaerospaceindustry
Aerospaceisadiverseindustrywithamultitudeof commercial,industrial,andmilitaryapplications.However, theaerospaceindustryrequiresdetailedresearch,excellent engineering,andadevelopmentapproach.
InIndia,theaerospaceindustryisgrowingsignificantly withtherisingactivitiesinthedefenceandcivilaviation sectors.Thissectorisstrengtheningourcountryby providingstrongindustrysupportandacost-effective environmentandplayingakeyroleinthe'MakeinIndia' initiative.
OneleadingnameinthisnicheisMaxAerospaceand AviationPrivateLimitedwhichisboostingtheIndian aerospaceandaviationsectorwiththeobjectivetooffer world-classMROservicestothenewlylaunchedprivate
Airlines.IthasbecomeoneofIndia'sleadingMROforcivil andmilitarysectors.
Inanexclusiveinterviewwith Insights Success,Bharat Malkani,Chairman,shedslightonthecompany'sjourney, thecurrentindustryscenario,andhisvisionforthe company'sfuture
Tellusaboutyourrangeofofferingswhichmakeyour companyasymbolofexcellentqualityandservice.
MaxAerospacehasthefollowingofferings:
MROservicesforComponentsforCommercialAircraft
MROservicesforFixedWingMilitaryTransports
AircraftRoleModification
Design,development,andmodificationofmilitary systemsonAircraft
Takingintoconsideration,thecurrentpandemic,andits impactonglobaleconomies,whatchallengesdidyou andyourteamfaceduringtheinitialphaseofthe pandemic,andhowdidyoupivotyouroperationsto overcomethosechallenges?
Thecurrentpandemicwasarevelation;onecouldhave neverimaginedtheskieswithouttheAircrafts.That's exactlywhathappenedinMarchlastyearwhentheaviation
industrywascriticallyhitduetothesuddenoutbreakof COVID-19.Asallinternational,aswellasdomestic, airportsacrosstheglobewereshutandmostoftheaircraft weregrounded,theindustryhasbeenamongtheworsthit bythepandemic,withmanyairlinesforcedtosuspendor closeoperations,disruptingsupplychainsgloballyand claimingmillionsofjobs.
Thedownturncausedbythepandemicextendstoall segmentsoftheaviationindustry,includingMRO providers,whichhavebeenparticularlyhardhit.
However,wehadtotakethischallengeasMRObeingthe supporttoAirlinesandinsteadofshuttingshop,weramped upourfacilitiestooffermorecapabilitiestoourcarriers whowerenowseekingtoreturntheiraircrafttothelessors. WealsosimultaneouslypursuedtheIndianGovernmentto recognizethiscrisisasanopportunityandadvocatedthe establishmentofnewpoliciesthatwouldhelpthegrowthof Indianaviation.Boththesepursuitsweresuccessful
Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion onwhytheadoptionofmoderntechnologiesisnecessary fortheaerospaceindustryandhowhaveyouleveraged thesetechnologiestodelivercomprehensiveservicesto yourclientele?
Inmyhumbleopinion,notechnologyisasmodernasan aircraftitself.Mans'dreamtoflyisancient.Inthe thousandsofyearsofourexistence,wehavemadetools, computingdevices,wheelsandsomanynewtechnological
advancementsthathaveimprovedthequalityoflife. Aviationisjustoverahundredyearsonly.
Asanorganization,weareconstantlyevolvingand investinginnewtechnologytomakeouraircraftsafer, faster,andmorereliable.Theadoptionofthese technologiesdeliversbetterservicestoourcustomers.To us,thishasbeenthebedrockofMaxAerospaceandisnota newphenomenon.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheaerospacetechniche?
"Builditgoodenoughsoyouareconfidentenoughthat yourownmothercanflyinitanddon'tgiveup.”
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022?
Giventheaviation-friendlypoliciesinthiscountry,weare rampingupourinfrastructuretobeabletomeetthe challengesofaviationgrowth.Weexpecttodoubleoursize everyyearforthenext5years.Whilethatsounds ambitious,anythinglesserwillnotbeabletoabsorbthe requirementsofIndianaviationalone.
Build it good enough so you are confident enough that your own mother can fly in it and don't give up
Thechangeinthebehaviorofthepassengers followingthecrisisofCOVID-19,therestrictions ontravel,andensuringeconomiccrisishave resultedinanintensedropinairlineservices.
AccordingtotheresearchdatafromIATA,passengerair transportmeasuredasrevenuepassengerkilometerswas downby90percent.Afteradecadeofconsistencyand robustgrowthinglobalpassengertraffic,thepandemic broughtairportsaroundtheworldtoavirtualhalt.Italmost erasedthelegacyofmorethantwentyyearsofpassenger trafficgrowth.
Somecountieshavenowmovedawayfromthe complicationsofthelockdownandaretryingtolimitthe infectionswithtargetedandlessdisruptiverestrictions. Mostjurisdictionshaveretainedeitherpartiallyortotally restrictiveregulationsconcerninginternationaltravelby implementingself-quarantineonarrivalthroughoutthe year.
Ontheotherhand,thevaccinationreport'shistorical proportionisnowwellunderwayinmostcountries, highlightingsomepositivesignsofthegradualreopeningof partsoftheeconomyincountriesthatexperienceimmense vaccinationrates.
Despitethesepositivesignsandnews,COVID-19remains anexistentialcrisisforairportsandairlines,andits
commercialpartnersintheaviationindustryareseeking supportandefficientpolicydecisionsfromthe governments.
Atthesametime,manystatesarelikelytobeconfronted withsubsequentwavesofinfectionduetothespreadofthe pandemic,andasitsnewvariantsarestillatlarge,several stategovernmentsandjurisdictionscouldoptforreimposingthelockdownandmaintainingtravelrestrictions. Theadverseeffectofthepandemicisforecastedtoreduce anadditionalfivebillionpassengersifthecrisisscenario remainsunchanged.
Inthemediumrun,theaviationindustryfacestwo obscurities:
Theoperationalcostsarelikelytoincreaseagaininthe shortrunforairportsandairlinesbecauseofthe implementationofhealthandsafetyrequirements,e.g.,PPE kits,temperaturechecks,disinfection,andviraltests.
Moreover,theimplementationofsocialdistancingnormsis reducingthenumberoftravelingpassengersinanaircraft byprecisely50percent,lookingattheprotocolofseat allotmentduringaflight.
Theshapeofrecoveryforcommercialflightsinthe reductionofeconomicactivitiesandchangesinthe
transportbehaviormaypreventareturntopre-crisis demandlevels,asfactorsthatcanimposelockdownsand travelrestrictionsarestillatlarge.Commercialairtraffic, ontheotherhand,isbecomingslowerinitsrecoveryasthe numberofflightsremains40percentbelowcurrently This hidesthedifferenceacrosstheflight'slengths,andthisdrop ismorenoticeableforlong-haulflights.Eventually,the changingbehaviorandsafetymeasuresforthepassengers mayresultinastructuralchangeintheairportsandair transportdemands.
Thereboundofdomesticflightsinseveralcountries indicatesthatthetrafficcanreverttopre-crisislevels,buta permanentdropindemandfrompre-crisislevelsis inevitableandcannotbeexcluded.Though,alternative methodslikelivevideoconferencinginsteadofbusiness travelortravelingwithothermodesoftransportare becominganewnormal.
Thecombinationofnegativedemand,supplyshocks,and increasingobscuritiesinthemediumrunoutlookiscreating anuncertainperspectiveforaviationcompanies.However, throughindustriallinkagesandaviationfundamentals,these uncertaintiesareaffectingtheaviationindustry.Asaresult, theaviationindustryexperiencesrockbottom.
Moreover,theaviationindustrystillremainsexposedtoa resurgenceoftheCOVID-19crisis,asgovernmentscan imposenewrestrictionsandairtravelpoliciestocontrola potentialwaveofthenewvariant.Thisismenacingthe existenceofseveralfirmsintheaviationindustry,as productionandplanningarelikelytoremaininferiortoprecrisislevels.Bankruptcies,mergers,andacquisitionshada negativeeffectonairtransport,withpossibleimpactsonthe prices.
Thepandemichasreinforcedsomeoftheunderlying principlesthatwerepreviouslyusedtojustifythesupportin theaviationindustry.Moreover,theliquiditychallenges, risingdebt,andobscuritiescanaffectcrucialinvestmentsin theaviationspace.
Thoughfewairlinecompanieswereinthestatetodevelop policiesandreframetheiroperationsbeforetheCOVID-19 crisisbegan,thesecompaniesinitiallyenteredthepandemic withdifferentstrategiestowithstandsuchashockand maintainvariedprospectsforthefuture.
Mission-orientedstrategiesthatareaimedtodrivethe aviationindustryefficientlyarebeingusefulin implementingtheintegratedindustrialpolicyresponsesto resolvetheissuesandeffectsofthepandemic.
Besides,promotingsafetravelwithacoordinatedapproach totestingandvaccinationinsteadofimposingstrict restrictionsandquarantinemeasurescontributesto overcomingtheadversitiesofthepandemic,especiallyin theaviationspace.
WhenIwasgrowingup,Iwasalwaystaughtthat evenbadeventscanworkoutwellintheend, providingthatpeoplelearnfromtheir experiences.Ifthere’sapositivetocomefromthelastyear andtheCOVID-19pandemic,thensurely,it’sthefactthat whenitreallymatteredpeopleallovertheworldcame togetherandcollaboratedtofacealife-threatening challengeandachievedinmonthswhatnormallytakes years!
AstheUKcontinuestoeaserestrictionsandfocusshiftsto otherglobalchallengessuchasclimatechange,wecanask thequestion;istherehopethatwecanapplythesame urgencyandcultureofinnovationtotheseotherchallenges?
ThemoreIthinkaboutthefuture(havingrecentlybecome afatherforthethirdtimethisgoeswiththeterritory,)the moreIbelievewecanhaveanimpactifwecommitinthe samewaytofindingvaccines!
ThroughmyworkwiththeCREATEEducationprojectand interactionwithourleadinguniversitieshaveshownthat there’sanabundanceofactivitiesandcampaignsbeing championed.Electrificationoftheautomotivesectoris happeningatpace,hydrogensolutionsinaerospaceare rapidlydevelopingnottomentionagricultural advancementsorsustainablepoweroptionslikewind/solar.
Unfortunately,thesearen’tmyareasofexpertiseandas such,Ican’tofferinsightwithcertainty.WhatIamperhaps betterplacedtocommentonis3DprintingorAdditive Manufacturing.
Canthewaywemakeandtransportthingshelpinourdrive towardssustainability?I’mgoingtohighlightsomeofthe opportunitiesthatfeellikerelativelyeasywins.Pleasedon’t
expectcalculationsandcharts.Thisismyviewasa3D printingcompanydirectorandasafather,notaresearch studyproducedbyacademics/agencies.Theviewsas alwaysaremyown,buttheyarebasedontherealexamples thatIseefromindustrypioneersonanear-dailybasis.
Justintimemanufacturinghaslongbeenaspiredto,with thepotentialbenefitsmuchheraldedbutwhatifwelookat thisfromasustainabilityperspective?Withthesignificant improvementin3DPtechnologies,automationsoftware, androboticsthishasnowbecomemorefeasibleparticularly ifweconsiderhowmuchmassmanufacturingtakesplace toreacheconomiesofscaleandhowmaterialandenergyintensivethatis.
Surelyproducinglocallyondemandmakesmoresense?If wethenstarttolookatthewasteimplicationsfromover productionora‘throwawayculture’thatisfillinglandfill sites,whichisdrivenbymassmanufacturingvolumes,we mustusethetechnologythatisnowavailabletolimit environmentalimpactandnotleteconomicsoverrule!
Continuingalongthislineofreasoningwecanstarttothink abouttheimpactthelogisticsandtransportingofgoodshas onourcarbonfootprint.Thenumberofvehiclesusedtoget productsfrommanufacturinglocationstoendcustomersis huge!
Supplychainmanagementoftenrequiresstockinhand, whichinturnrequireslargewarehousingfacilitieswith moreenergyconsumptionetc.Sparepartsandcomponents inmanyinstancesgounusedthenareeithersoldatdiscount (andtheprocessstartsagain)orworsesenttowasteandnot recycled!
Manyorganisations arewakinguptothis absurdityandare relyingonthe improvedaccuracy ofaffordable Additive Manufacturing solutionstobuild digitalwarehouses ratherthanphysical ones.Bycataloging componentsandreverse engineeringusing scanning/softwaretools companiescannowcreate digitalinventoriestoallow printinglocallyondemand.
Ofcourse,3dprintinghas energy/materialsrequirementsbutit’s hardtopresentacasewheresharingadigital fileandprintingondemandhasthesame environmentalimpactasphysicallymanufacturing andshippingsomething.Themassproductionand logisticschallengesareonlyasmallpartofthe opportunitiesprovidedbyadvancesintechnology.
Fromadesignperspective,theleapsinArtificial IntelligenceandMachineLearningareopeningupnew possibilitiesandenablingsustainabilitytobedesignedina waynotpossiblepreviously.GenerativeDesignuses algorithmstooptimisepartsforsetcriteria.Designfor AdditiveManufacturing(DfAM)isbecomingmorecritical aswelooktounlockthehardware/materialpotential.
IfwelookatdesignsoftwaresuchasAutodeskFusion360, theynowincorporateGenerativeDesigndemocratising accesstothebenefitsofmachinelearning.Arewegoingto usethissoftwaretoimproveprofitabilityorsustainability? Theexcitingelementisifweembracethesenew technologicaltools,weareabletosolveproblems differently
Paul Croft, Director of 3DGBIRE and Create Education discusses his experience on how adopting additive manufacturing and 3D printing can help sustainability and make a difference!
About the Author
Naturehashadthebenefitofevolutiontosolveproblems andbiomimicryisbecomingmoreandmoreviablefroman engineeringperspective.Thinkhowmuchlight-weighting couldbedoneontransportationgloballyandthereduction onfuelconsumptionthatwouldresultfromthat.
TheopportunityforAdditiveManufacturingtobepartofa sustainabilitydriveisclear,whythenisitnotfurtheron?
Nowisnotthetimeforpoliticsandeconomicssolet’s focusonthetechnical.
Alotofindustriesareregulatedandhavestandardsand requirementsthatcomponentsmustadheretoo.Additive Manufacturing,particularlyinmetal,hasspentyears movingtowardsacceptabletolerances,A-classfinishesand fulldensificationofpartssothattheycanmeetthe certificationstandards.
RecentdevelopmentsinHybridManufacturingtechniques suchasthoseofferedbyMELTIOgiveaclearpathwayto safelyremovingthesebarriers.Ratherthanattemptingto capitaliseonreducingthecomplexityofpartsorunique geometries,MELTIOoffersmoresustainableproduction viaNearNetShapemanufacturing.
Intraditionalsubtractivetechniquesyoustartwithabillet ofmaterialandthenremovethesurplusoftenaswaste.By printingusingMELTIOthefundamentalshapeofthe componentisprintedfirstandthentraditionaltechnologies areusedonlyforfinalfinishing.Thismeansthetolerances, finishesandincumbentstandardscanbemetwithhuge economicand,moreimportantly,sustainabilitybenefits!
Peopleinstinctivelyunderstandusinglessmaterialand wastinglessisbeneficial,whatshouldbeaddedtothe equationisthereductionintoolwear(anothersupply chain!),andthereductioninpowerconsumptionthanksto reducedprocessingtimeatthefinishingstage.This technologyisaffordableanddemonstratesaclearROIand, factoringingovernmental‘green’incentives,offers decision-makersaviableroutewithfewbarriersto achievingsustainabilitygoalswithouttoomuchdeviation from‘businessasusual’.
Wehavetalkedaboutbeingsmarterwithmaterials throughoutthisbutwhataboutthematerialsthemselves?
Theriseinthepopularityof3Dprintinghasunquestionably mademorepolymersandcompositesaccessibleenabling morefunctionalapplicationstobeproducedlocallyon demand.
Combiningsoftware,hardwareandmaterialsinauser friendlywayreducestrialanderroreliminatingwastefrom theprintingprocessandencouragingpeopletoidentify applicationswithconfidenceratherthandefaultingtoless sustainablepractices.
NewsupermaterialslikeGrapheneunlockmind-bending opportunitiestorethinkhowwedesignandmanufacture solutionsandAdditiveManufacturingisasuitable techniqueformanynovelapplications.Watchthisspace!
Ourmindsetiswhatwilldeterminethesuccessofusing technologiestoimprovesustainability.It’sclearwehavea hugechancetoutiliseindustry4.0technologiestoreduce humanimpactontheenvironmentbutpeoplewillhaveto drivethechangeandsharetheirsuccessestoinspireothers.
ThinkinginCircularEconomyprinciplesshouldbecome thenewnorm.Oneofmyfavouriteexamplesofthisinthe publicdomainisKLM.TheDutchairlinenowcollectsthe wastewaterbottlesfromtheirflightsandrecyclesitas filamentforuseonUltimaker3Dprinters.
Howarewere-usingtheplasticbottlesweserve onboard?
Thiscircularideacanbeappliedacrossindustriesand showshowinnovationandsustainabilitycangohandin hand.Increasingamountsofresearchisbeingdoneinto hownaturalwastesuchaseggshells,orangepeelorcoffee groundscanbeusedinsteadofplasticstomake components.
WeranaworkshopandIcouldn’thelpbutenvisionaworld wheremychildrencouldturntheirwasteintoeveryday itemsusingtechnology!Hopefullybynowyoubelievelike Idothattechnologycanplayahugepartintacklingsome oftheclimatechallengesweface.
Itisnotasilverbulletandultimatelywhatwilldetermine whetherwereachoursustainabilitygoalsisus!Wemust educateeachotheronbestpracticesandsharethe breakthroughs.
GovernmentgreenincentivesandmandateslikeRightto Repairareastartingpointbutwon’tachieveanything unlessweallmakesustainabilityapriority.Peoplearethe mostcriticalpartofallofthis.Technologycanonlysaveus ifwechoosetoembraceitandifwechoosetosolvethe problemswefaceinadifferentway.
Giventhetoolsthatwenowhaveaccessto,combinedwith incorporatingdesigncircularthinkingintoourproductsand workingcollaboratively,wecanmakethishappen!