At Hamilton, we try to stay ahead of manufacturing trends to ensure we’re as connected and efficient as possible while empowering our workers. So we took a second look at this article, 10 Trends That Will Dominate Manufacturing in 2019, to see how we’re measuring up.
Trend: Predictive maintenance
According to the article, 98 percent of organizations claim a single hour of downtime costs more than $100,000. We get it. We’re big believers of minimizing downtime. That’s why we tend to over-engineer our products to ensure top performance and longevity. In an industry where some manufacturers all too often underestimate the daily rigors of what an industrial casters must endure on the manufacturing floor, Hamilton products take a licking and keep on ticking.
Trend: Shifting focus from B2B to B2B2C
We don’t actually agree with everything the author is saying here about the benefits of selling directly to consumers. For Hamilton, our distributor network adds tremendous value to our operations. Let’s face it, we couldn’t do it without them. But we do believe in providing more transparency to our end customers. We also recognize the importance of controlling your brand story at every touchpoint—all the way down to the end consumer.
Trend: Leveraging supply chain for competitive advantage
Staying competitive isn’t just about price. It’s about leveraging new technologies that simplify your supply chain management. At Hamilton, we’re constantly investing in technology to help us operate more efficiently and effectively for our customers.
Trend: Using ERP systems to streamline processes
We’ve long recognized the importance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to creating a lean and competitive advantage by streamlining processes and providing accurate, real-time information. In fact, Hamilton has been using the same ERP since 1998. Our provider has done an incredible job with technology updates—and we love having 22 years of customer order history at our disposal!
Trend: 3D printing is making production faster and cheaper
We all know that 3D printing has revolutionized the very expensive and time-consuming process of tooling for manufacturers. It’s a great way to test and trouble-shoot products, as well as produce items on demand. Hamilton’s 3D printer is just one more tool in our proverbial efficiency toolbox.
Trend: Continued reshoring is creating more USA-made products
Bringing operations back on American soil is becoming increasingly common among manufacturers. We welcome the company. So many of Hamilton products have been made in the USA since the day we were born. Our president, Dave Lippert, even co-authored a book that promotes the benefits of reshoring.
Trend: Finding tech-savvy employees is a challenge
It’s true. As manufacturing increasingly leans on technology, there simply aren’t enough skilled, tech-savvy people to fill the number of open jobs. Hamilton has talked openly these challenges, which is why we’ve initiated and developed a comprehensive training program for all new hires.