Management Perspectives: Executive Insights into the Future of Smart Manufacturing

As the world continues to change rapidly around us, businesses need to adapt quickly to the needs of their customers and the limitations of their supply chain. In this episode, Mike Loughran introduces Götz Erhardt, senior managing director at Accenture, and Susana Gonzalez, president for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Rockwell Automation, to discuss how digital manufacturing can help to ensure success, even during the most volatile and unstable of times.

As businesses continue to struggle to find the workforce they need, it's becoming increasingly necessary to empower the people we already have to allow them to work at their best. In this episode, Mike Loughran introduces Billy Goodman, managing director at CAMA North America, and Chris Rabago, director of manufacturing at Hawaiian Host, who explain how modularity helped them optimize their workforce, despite particular challenges around labor shortages.   Discover more about this project in our case study, here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-gb/company/news/case-studies/hawaiian-host-group-overcomes-packaging-challenges.html

When it comes to developing more sustainable solutions, collaboration is the key first step. In this episode, host Mike Loughran introduces Hans-Peter Mertens, CEO of The Packaging Group, and Tom O'Reilly, vice president of sustainability at Rockwell Automation, who illustrate how this approach helped their companies and their customers to be more sustainable.   Discover more about this project in our case study, here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-gb/company/news/case-studies/global-toy-company-migrates-to-95-paper-based-bagging.html

Every business wants to eliminate operational silos, enhance data accuracy, and provide their workforce with unified data sources. And that's exactly why BIC chose to implement the Plex MES solution at their Bizerte factory in Tunisia. In this episode, Mike Loughran introduces Rogelio Demay, Senior Manager IT Manufacturing at BIC, to explain how it has benefited the company and laid the groundwork for the future.   You can find out more about the BIC story with this video case study: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/company/news/case-studies/digital-transformation-with-bic.html

Data is critical to the decision-making process, but the results are only as good as the data you collect. In this episode, Mike Loughran introduces Etienne Fellay, IT Director at Constellium, to look at the immense power a standardized data collection system can offer for manufacturing. From cost savings to easier integration, the benefits are huge.   Learn more about this application, here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-gb/company/news/press-releases/plantpax-dcs-delivers-process-control-for-waste-recovery-technology.html

Accurate data and precision controls open the door to better, faster decision-making – this is essential if you want to hit your business targets and your sustainability commitments. In this episode, host Mike Loughran introduces Vicente Centelles Forner, of Greene Enterprise, to talk about how their use of the PlantPAx® distributed control system (DCS) helped develop an innovative and highly effective waste-recovery technology solution that supports sustainability goals.   Discover more about the project at Greene Enterprise here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-gb/company/news/press-releases/plantpax-dcs-delivers-process-control-for-waste-recovery-technology.html

From knowledge sharing to improved training, from efficiency gains to better quality control, allowing your machines and your workforce to work better together is one of the key benefits that digitalization has to offer. In this episode, Mike Loughran discovers way to create this synergy with the help of Riccardo Cavanna, chairman of Cavanna Packaging Group.

Partnerships are built on trust. And when we work together and trust one another, we can achieve so much more than we could alone. This is true in business as much as in any other aspect of life. In this episode, Mike Loughran introduces Prabhu Badrinathen, CEO, Falcon Group, and Srikrishna Ganesan, CEO, Al Ghandi Electrical & Automation, to learn how their collaborative approach and mentality has generated significant benefits while future-proofing their respective businesses in the Middle East.   You can learn more about the Falcon Group project here: https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-be/company/news/press-releases/thingworx-helps-to-boost-machine-utilization.html

Balancing sustainability targets and business needs around productivity may appear challenging, but with an energy-savings-as-a-service approach, you can achieve both – with additional benefits as well. In this episode, Mike Loughran is joined by James Hynd, CEO at Energy Drive, and Tom O'Reilly, VP Sustainability at Rockwell Automation, who explain how this concept works and what it could do for your business. This is Part 2 of a two-part episode.

Balancing sustainability targets and business needs around productivity may appear challenging, but with an energy-savings-as-a-service approach, you can achieve both – with additional benefits as well. In this episode, Mike Loughran is joined by James Hynd, CEO at Energy Drive, and Tom O'Reilly, VP Sustainability at Rockwell Automation, who explain how this concept works and what it could do for your business.   This is Part 1 of a two-part episode.

Understand the role technology plays in implementing more sustainable practices, learn how collaboration supports better environmental outcomes, and discover the importance of embracing an innovative mentality in helping your company reach its targets. In this episode of the Management Perspectives podcast, Mike Loughran speaks with Dr Swati Murthy, Practice Director, Sustainability Services, at TCS, and Rockwell Automation's Global Head of Customer Sustainability, Dr Andrea Ruotolo, to find out more. This is Part 2 of a two-part episode.

Understand the role technology plays in implementing more sustainable practices, learn how collaboration supports better environmental outcomes, and discover the importance of embracing an innovative mentality in helping your company reach its targets. In this episode of the Management Perspectives podcast, Mike Loughran speaks with Dr Swati Murthy, Practice Director, Sustainability Services, at TCS, and Rockwell Automation's Global Head of Customer Sustainability, Dr Andrea Ruotolo, to find out more. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode.

As supply-chain sustainability becomes a key focal point of many customer experience strategies, businesses are leaning into serialization and traceability. This approach also provides operational efficiencies and the compliance with ever-changing market regulations. In this special edition of the Management Perspectives podcast, guest host Mark Bottomley speaks with Christine Akselsen, CEO of Kezzler, and guest speaker, Dr Paul Miller, Vice-President and Principal Analyst from Forrester, to learn more about the opportunities this approach brings.   Find out more on this topic in the research they discussed, EMEA Spotlight: Increase Brand Loyalty and Generate ROI with Improved Traceability - a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Rockwell Automation.

Autonomous manufacturing is a big topic in the tire sector, today, as producers seek to embrace digital technologies to transform their production operations. Join Mike Loughran as he learns more about this manufacturing revolution from his guests John Woods, Global Director, EMEA, and Jordan Reynolds, Global Director, Data Science & AI, both from Kalypso, a Rockwell Automation Company.

Picking up from where they left off last time, Mike Loughran is once again joined by Jan Burian and Lorenzo Veronesi of IDC, discussing the potential offered by what they call “Green.0”. In this second episode, they explore the challenges ahead and the KPIs manufacturers can consider to help overcome them.

Sustainability is fast becoming a business imperative, but the data you're already collecting from your digital transformation can help you revolutionize your sustainability programs, helping you to create strategies and objectives that make a real difference – to the environment and your bottom line. Join Mike Loughran and his guests, Jan Burian and Lorenzo Veronesi of IDC, as they explore the potential offered by what they call “Green.0”.

Cyber criminals are typically able to move faster than companies. This means you need to know where your vulnerabilities are and where the likely threats will come from. To enhance their security posture, leaders need to start prioritising their cybersecurity systems. This starts with understanding where in the company the most common threats exist. Join Mike Loughran, with guests Grant Geyer, Chief Product Officer at Claroty, and Eduardo di Monte, Cybersecurity Strategic Growth Leader at Rockwell Automation, as they discuss the nature of these threats and how to secure your business against them.

For many years, there have been industrial leaders who have brushed off cyber threats as a concern for digital companies in sectors such as e-commerce, with little relevance for their own business. But now, in this age of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0, leaders ignore cyber risks at their peril. In this episode, Mike Loughran is joined by guests Thierry Rouquet, Director of Business Development IOT at Cisco, and Eduardo di Monte, Cybersecurity Strategic Growth Leader at Rockwell Automation, discussing how manufacturers can protect their business from this modern threat.

A company cannot simply deploy a new technology or digital initiative without considering the implications for its workers. When it comes to facilitating change, culture and transparency matter. Join Mike Loughran and his guests, Roman Lafage, Digital Manufacturing Director at Vesuvius, and Eric Chalengeas, Regional Vice President for South Europe at Rockwell Automation, as they discuss why a successful digital transformation program needs to be a blend of technology, processes and – most importantly – people.

Modern remote services have been of vital importance during this extended period of global lockdown, but they also offer immense value to manufacturers for the years ahead. Join Mike Loughran, with his guests Maciej Redel, Senior Manager and Digital Lead at Kalypso, and Partha Seshadri, Regional Vice President of Lifecycle Services in EMEA at Rockwell Automation, as they discuss developments in this area based on their hands-on experience.

Too often virtual and augmented reality are dismissed as a gimmick or a toy, and not considered as a practical business application. But join host Mike Loughran as he kicks off a new series of the Management Perspectives podcasts with guest Olivier Helterlin, Sales Vice President for France and Benelux at PTC, and learn how these exciting technologies can support your business, providing a user-friendly approach to big data.

As 2021 draws to a close, host Mike Loughran ends this year's podcast series with a look at what's changed throughout the last 12 months. From our predictions at the start of the year, through the possibilities realised with digital transformation, to the power of partners – we've seen that we can achieve so much more by working together than any one business could alone. Grab a drink, sit back and relax, and discover the true potential of the Connected Enterprise.

SPECIAL EDITION: Sustainability remains a top priority for business around the world, and is leading to some dramatic changes in the energy industry – changes that can be addressed and capitalized on through digitalization. Join guest host Stan Miller, for this Management Perspectives Special, with guests Simon McEntee of Sensia and Sebastien Grau of Rockwell Automation. In their discussion, they explore the changing nature of the energy industry and how digitalization can help oil and gas businesses to both adapt and flourish.

Discover how an integrated robotic environment can improve your operations, being better for your business, your workers and your bottom line. Host Mike Loughran is joined by Gaia Salvadore from Comau and Nathan Turner from Rockwell Automation to discuss the full potential of modern robotics and how it has come a long way from those early days of simple, repetitive automotive production lines.

David Grammer, General Manager & Sales Vice President UKI at PTC, joins host Mike Loughran to discuss how businesses can scale industrial digitalization. We've all heard of “pilot purgatory,” a situation where businesses get caught in a loop of testing pilots that are either quickly abandoned or go through a long, drawn-out process before eventual implementation. In this episode, we're discussing how to avoid that trap and take your operations to the next level.

Many businesses have embraced digitalisation in adapting to recent challenges, but the benefits go far beyond that. A digital transformation can impact your entire operation for the better, boosting efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. One company that is seeing the benefits already is Tetra Pak. Join Mike Loughran as he speaks with Fred Griemsmann of Tetra Pak and Harald Mag of Rockwell Automation, discussing how well-implemented digitalisation can provide large-scale improvements without disrupting the business' existing value.

Jan Burian, Head of Manufacturing Insights in EMEA, and Lorenzo Veronesi, Associate Research Director, both of IDC, join Mike Loughran once again, picking up where they left on in the last episode: discussing the future of smart manufacturing and sharing the insights they've unearthed through IDC research.

We've been talking about Industry 4.0 for more than five years now, but the last 18 months have seen organisations everywhere take a huge leap forward in their digital journeys. But what does this mean for the future? Mike Loughran is joined by Jan Burian, Head of Manufacturing Insights in EMEA, and Lorenzo Veronesi, Associate Research Director, both of IDC, to discuss the future of digital manufacturing.

When disruptive innovation and the smart-factory-as-a-service work together, the possibilities are endless. Street-lighting manufacturer Sustainder is building the foundations for tomorrow's sustainable smart cities. And with mass customisation from Technologies Added, their flexibility and scalability are limitless. Marco Bosch, Operations Director at Sustainder, and Joris Bisschop, Director of Operations and Engineering at Technologies Added, join Mike Loughran to explain the amazing potential this disruptive thinking brings. Both Sustainder and Technologies Added are featured in a Rockwell Automation film, produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, and presented by Digital Europe as part of their “Digitally Enlightened” series. https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-gb/company/news/presentations/building-smarter-cities-with-smarter-factories.html

As more and more manufacturers undergo digital transformation, there is an increasing demand for companies to deliver complete solutions. No one company can provide first-in-class results in every field – and that's where partnerships come in. Join host Mike Loughran and his guests, David Crumpton, Director of Global Industry and Ecosystem Partners at Cisco, and Johannes zu Eltz, Vice President, Global Market Access, at Rockwell Automation, as they discuss the power of partners.

Has your organisation attempted a digital transformation, but things didn't go according to plan? Mario Casoni, Director, Digital Transformation Group, EMEAI & APAC at PTC, joins host Mike Loughran to explain how businesses can pick up the pieces and learn from their mistakes. Listen now and discover why things might have gone wrong, what can be done about it, and how to avoid these missteps next time.

Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Integrated Supply Chain, at Rockwell Automation and his colleague Jen Upthegrove, Director of Global Supply Chain Process and Systems, join host Mike Loughran to discuss the challenges of making your supply chain both agile yet resilient enough to handle any crisis. A prime example of this in practice is Rockwell Automation's own supply chain. Part 2 of 2.

Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Integrated Supply Chain, at Rockwell Automation and his colleague Jen Upthegrove, Director of Global Supply Chain Process and Systems, join host Mike Loughran to discuss the challenges of making your supply chain both agile yet resilient enough to handle any crisis. A prime example of this in practice is Rockwell Automation's own supply chain. Part 1 of 2.

Join host Mike Loughran as he looks back over a year unlike any we've seen before – from the ambitions and possibilities at the start of the year, through to the challenges of restrictions and lockdowns around the globe. Mike looks back at how flexible manufacturing has helped businesses adapt and even thrive in these dynamic times, and reviews the insights we've unearthed for those looking to achieve their own digital transformation.

Chris Courtney, Challenge Director at Manufacturing Made Smarter, joins host Mike Loughran to discuss the importance of innovation in manufacturing, with a particular focus on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Manufacturing Made Smarter programme. As the world changes, innovation is essential to building and maintaining a competitive advantage – but how can you best go about making your ideas a reality?

Dave Hughes, Business Development Director at PTC, joins host Mike Loughran to ask what exactly is product lifecycle management (PLM) and what can it do for your business? They discuss the need for a holistic approach to manufacturing that brings together people, processes and technology, and how PLM presents an opportunity to underpin this approach with a unified end-to-end digital thread.

Rachel Wilson, Associate Director of Arup, and Matt Graves, Director of Kalypso, join host Mike Loughran to discuss the best route to flexible manufacturing. We all know that flexible manufacturing can help you keep up with changing demands and be ready for whatever tomorrow brings, but to reap the rewards of such change you need to engage your greatest asset – the hearts and minds of your people.

Ian Stewart, President of Sonepar UK, the parent company of Routeco, joins Mark Bottomley, Rockwell Automation's Regional Sales Director for North EMEA, and host Mike Loughran to discuss how recent events are shaping the future of supply chain throughout EMEA. 2020 will likely prove a pivotal year for many parts of manufacturing, but the impact of COVID-19 is but one aspect of broader change in supply chain operations.

Dr Daniel Thorniley, President of DT-Global Business Consulting, and Gennady Bylov, General Director of Rockwell Automation Russia & CIS, join host Mike Loughran to discuss the current state of digitalisation in Russia. There is often the perception that Russia is lagging behind in digital transformation, but there's a lot more to this story than might first appear.

Andrzej Soldaty, President of the Board at the Future Industry Platform Foundation in Poland, asks has the new normal changed the face of digital transformation forever? He and host Mike Loughran look at what manufacturers could and should be doing to continue their journey towards modernisation. This includes data analytics, people power and reducing investment risk.

Ian McGregor, Business Development Manager at Emulate3D, explains how digital twin technology has come forwards in leaps and bounds over recent years, and discusses the advantages this powerful approach can bring to your business. From operator training without the risks, through virtual commissioning anywhere in the world, and modelling scenarios without putting actual investments at risk.

Paul Haimes, VP Pre-Sales at PTC, explores how manufacturing rose to the challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing the equipment so desperately needed by health services across EMEA. Focusing on the UK's Ventilator Challenge, he and host Mike Loughran discuss the use of augmented reality (AR) to remotely educate people on ventilator assembly and production, avoiding the need to place experts at risk with unnecessary travel. Paul also reminds listeners that, throughout the COVID-19 crisis, PTC has been offering it Vuforia Chalk remote assistance product for free to those who need it. This offer has been extended until the end of August 2020, with no obligation to buy. Don't miss out: get started with Vuforia Chalk for free (https://www.ptc.com/en/products/augmented-reality/vuforia-chalk-free-access – until 31 August 2020).

Dr Adrian Reisch, Co-founder of aioneers, explores how an agile approach can help manufacturers meet changing global demands – both in these uncertain times and beyond. Speaking with host Mike Loughran, they cover the best approach to tackling digital transformation issues – focusing on solving key problems, executing an agile approach, with structured sprints, and securing support from top management.

Oliver Reisch, Vice Chairman of the MESA Special Interest Group for Germany, investigates some of the challenges organisations face when trying to identify value in Industry 4.0. This new industrial revolution is more than simply modernising technology – it needs to drive real business value, as well. Learn more about MESA at mesa.org.

Stefan Beyeler, Packaging Engineering Lead for Consumer at the Johnson & Johnson Centre of Excellence, discusses the challenges faced by manufacturers as they try to adapt to the future. Many companies are trying to achieve a seamless integration of emerging technologies with their traditional legacy systems. But how can they best implement innovation at scale?

Tim Figures, director of technology, sustainability and innovation at Make UK, asks if the UK is doing enough to support SMEs through digital transformation. Join him and Mike Loughran as they discuss the latest policy paper from Make UK (https://bit.ly/2BbZueC), which suggests significant improvements that will help the UK to bounce back smarter from the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tim also invites listeners to take part in Make UK's 2020 Innovation Monitor survey (https://bit.ly/2Ya55uW).

Christoph Pressleitner, senior manager at EY, explores how the manufacturing world is evolving rapidly, with digitalisation and Industry 4.0 at the heart of it. Processes and production are key to data quality. Data analytics is thriving while blockchain is showing potential. And you must have the courage to ideate.

Rob Goossens, CEO of Technologies Added, shares important lessons learned while developing a shared smart factory in the Netherlands in this episode hosted by Mike Loughran, chief technology officer for the UK and Ireland, Rockwell Automation.

What is the status of digital transformation efforts across industry? How are firms approaching these programs with funding and implementation? Mike Loughran, chief technology officer for the UK and Ireland, Rockwell Automation, explores how executives are driving digital transformations in this discussion with Beth Parkinson, director market development, customer insight at Rockwell Automation, who shares her latest research.