The Brief

We need the suppliers to want to participate, cooperate, and know they have taken part in a fair process

David Schultz

Global Supply Chain Executive, Westfall Technik

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BY THE NUMBERS

Latinas account for just 2% of STEM professionals

2%

STEM

When it comes to long-held supplier relationships, personal knowledge of the company is important when making supplier decisions

Edmund Zagorin

Founder, Arkestro

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Cellular IoT connectivity is a key enabler, allowing the optimisation of energy use, and can detect problems before they emerge

Jens Erler

IoT Client Principal, Ericsson

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EDITOR'S CHOICE

SUSTAINABLE FAIR TRADE MANUFACTURING AT PEAK DESIGN

Sustainability Director Annie Nyborg helps Peak Design clean up its supply chain & manufacture more sustainable Fair Trade products

IONETIC OPENS UP THE SUPPLY CHAIN ROUTE TO ELECTRIFICATION

James Eaton, CEO and Co-Founder of IONETIC, is upholding the battery pack supply chain for niche vehicle manufacturers trying to electrify

RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ERICSSON’S NET-ZERO COMMITMENT

Jens Erler, IoT Client Principal at Ericsson, explains how IoT sensors and AI-enabled energy management platforms can enable energy use optimisation

Smart factories and manufacturing supply chains at Deloitte

Paul Wellener, Vice Chairman of the US

Industrial Products and Construction practice in Deloitte… He started working on the shop floor 30 years ago. “An engineer by training, I then got a business degree and started in manufacturing,” says Wellener. “At that point in time, I was manufacturing parts in the automotive industry, but I moved into consulting a few years later.”

Wellener has been in consulting ever since, though he has remained consulting for manufacturing organisations, whether automotive or aerospace-based.

“I'm just naturally a person who likes operations and working to see tangible products. In manufacturing, it's so easy to see results day in and day out,” he says. “When you see a product on the assembly line, you can see your impact on it just a few hours – or a few minutes – later.”  NESTLÉ & ERICSSON Food and drink manufacturer Nestlé, IT giant Ericsson & Embratel are strengthening 5G technology in Brazil with new smart factories & a private 5G network.

 CLOUD ASSESS As manufacturers dig in for the busy winter period, Rob Bright, Cloud Assess CEO, says it's crucial that workforce training is not overlooked; businesses should ensure upskilling and reskilling remains a priority.

 FACTORY GROWTH Amid the cost-of-living crisis, business margins are under strain, with the most recent CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI pointing to the lowest growth in factory activity since June 2020.

 OVERSEAS

PRODUCTION

The days of cheap overseas production may be over. Manufacturers are now returning home, hoping to reduce their reliance on international suppliers to protect their consumer base against global supply chain disruptions.