The manufacturing industry is by no means devoid of the challenges of globalization, changing client demands, and the need for improved efficiency. Globalization means increased competition from low-cost emerging economies, which in turn creates price pressure by encouraging a global search for lower cost suppliers and manufacturing locations. Whilst it opens new markets, it also necessitates changing demand and product profiles. As always, clients expect improved product quality and shorter lead times, at lower prices with reduced cost of ownership. To meet these challenges, manufacturers began focusing on core competences, outsourcing design, manufacturing, IT, or logistics to firms whose core competencies fall into these areas.

The result is a supply network of interrelated players that must be properly overseen. IT integration can help improve the availability of information across supply chain systems and unify them with data coming from the shop floor to assure cross-plant intelligence with full traceability, providing the visibility that Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems failed to deliver.

Read this paper to learn how Atos Origin’s distinctive Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) solutions specifically developed for the manufacturing industry are helping companies around the world achieve much-needed flexibility, visibility, integration, and collaboration across the entire value chain.