During the pandemic, the industrial sector suffered from temporary shutdowns and a lack of supplies. Given this, companies had to adapt and look for ways to continue working. The industry has been seeking Post-Covid Manufacturing strategies to keep production running and optimize work.
Part of the production delay was influenced by the temporary closure of factories in China, which was the first country to suffer from the spread of COVID-19. This impacted the entire global production chain, as Chinese industry is one of the world’s main suppliers of inputs and products.
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The impacts moved all branches of industry. Several companies adapted their production lines and started manufacturing hospital equipment and products, in addition to maintaining the supply of other essential items for society that were already produced before. Companies found themselves forced to make adjustments, taking into account the priority of the moment.
According to research by FIEP, one of the sectors that mobilized the most to manufacture hospital products was apparel, focusing on the manufacture of masks and gowns. But other industry segments acted in the manufacture of respirators, hand sanitizer, street sanitization machinery, among other items.
Industrial Reheating
The period of temporary company closures caused delays in labor and product delivery. Consequently, with the reopening of commerce and businesses, raw materials are lacking for many segments.
Given this, in the coming months, a reheating of the industrial market is expected. The number of hires in the industrial segment is expected to increase. According to industrial indicators, employment increased by 1.9% compared to July.
According to Aloisio Arbegaus, commercial director at Teclógica: “It is essential that industries have good inventory control and well-structured production planning. Having these processes well-designed enables the continuous optimization of stages, in accordance with market movements.”
Implementing a planning culture is a major challenge for companies that do not yet have structured processes. Therefore, relying on digital factory floor solutions is a fundamental attitude.
Aloisio states that technology is a great ally for industry professionals. “Specialized solutions allow a year’s production planning to be done in just 30 minutes. In addition, these tools help predict possible eventualities, such as machine maintenance, making it possible to view planning much more clearly,” he adds.
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Trends for Post-Covid Manufacturing
In addition to changes in production lines to make hospital products, factories also had to think of new strategies and take other actions during the crisis period. After the pandemic, the expectation is that factories will maintain some of the practices that started at that time.
Some practices, such as those highlighted below, should be maintained:
- Production adjustments and effective direction of teams to stages that need more attention;
- Better inventory control and adoption of sustainable materials;
- Investments in innovation for continuous improvement, keeping up with market demands;
- Investment in qualified labor.
Another practice that must be maintained is attention to cybersecurity. With the digitalization of processes comes the concern about cyberattacks. It is important to have secure solutions that prevent information loss or cyberattacks.
In cases where production planning data is saved in software, it is essential to confirm that the solution is secure against attacks and failures, or the company runs the risk of losing all its information.
In addition, data analysis proved to be a fundamental action for process improvement. It is necessary to carry out a comprehensive study of the data and information collected, making it possible to visualize process bottlenecks and correct them.
According to statistics from ICEI, business leaders remain confident about the economy, at a level similar to that evaluated before the pandemic. “By paying attention to maintaining the above attitudes, the recovery will be positive,” concludes Aloisio.
Signed by:
Aloisio Arbegaus — Commercial Director at Teclógica
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