The world of cloud computing has exploded in recent years, with growth being driven by a switch to hybridized or remote work environments and the stunning impact of the coronavirus pandemic on many industries, particularly supply chain operation, manufacturing, and warehousing. In the manufacturing sector, the pandemic alone has resulted in delivery delays, increased costs, and widespread uncertainty. 

In many cases, these factors have prompted savvy owners to move processes into a cloud environment to ensure business continuity and to accelerate in-process digital transformations. For manufacturers, a cloud-based infrastructure offers widespread benefits, as it offers the ability to access data from anywhere for seamless process continuity.

Using Cloud Computing to Transform Your Manufacturing Operation

Two-thirds of industry leaders in the manufacturing realm are adopting cloud strategies across functions, but often beginning with specific, high-importance areas — although large-scale adoptions are becoming more prevalent as more companies recognize the value the cloud environment brings to the table. Specifically, manufacturers who turn to cloud computing often see:

Fewer Delays

Because a cloud infrastructure allows manufacturers to corral all their data in a single area with multi-aspect transparency, workers can make swifter decisions, even on the fly, to keep production moving faster. Access to historical data sets can improve design quality and optimizing digital processes can offer greater agility from prototyping to the production floor. With the ability to have all data at your fingertips, issues that arise during production can be swiftly managed, resulting in few delays. 

Heightened Flexibility

Cloud computing transforms manufacturing in a variety of ways, many of which contribute to a manufacturer’s ability to be more flexible — an aspect that even improves customer satisfaction. An increased ability to provide instant quotes and fast distribution of necessary parts can help manufacturers win trust and loyalty from their customer base. But the ability of the cloud to assist with the prototyping process and allow for the profitability of small batch production can help designers and owners offer new and more innovative designs. 

Less Waste

There are many kinds of waste that can affect bottom-line revenues for manufacturing operations. Defects in design, documents, machines, and more can slow down work processes and result in higher labor costs per product. Unplanned downtime of machinery or computer infrastructure is another area that can cause negative financial impact to an organization. Downtime is caused by a number of factors including production changes, maintenance inefficiencies, and even operator error. 

Using a cloud-based infrastructure can reduce the amount of downtime by ensuring that all aspects of your connectivity are managed 24/7 by a competent third party provider, reducing the burden on in-house staff and ensuring access to leading-edge knowledge.

Improved Profit Margins 

According to a recent study by McKinsey, the real value of the cloud is far more than simple IT. In fact, cloud access can help manufacturers improve all aspects of their business, from developing new products and designs to selling, delivering, and servicing those same products. McKinsey’s in-depth analyses show that industrial cloud-adopters often see increases of more than a trillion dollars in shareholder value post-adoption. While half of this value comes from the expansion of margins, the other half is generated directly from growth in revenues. 

This added value stems directly from the improvement in productivity, efficiency, and the kind of data analysis that allows manufacturers to identify new opportunities for growth and development.

Blue Technologies Can Help You Get Cloud-Savvy

More manufacturing operations are realizing the significant advantages associated with adoption of a cloud-based infrastructure. From automated work processes to business continuity, increased uptime, magnified productivity and efficiency, and reduced waste, moving to the cloud can offer expanded business opportunities without placing an additional burden on in-house IT staff.

At Blue Technologies, we have cloud-competent IT professionals that can help take your manufacturing operation into the cloud so you can experience the enhanced productivity — and revenues — that often accompany this elegant, more efficient IT solution. 

Transform your manufacturing operation today. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and learn how simple it can be to adopt a cloud-based environment for your organization.