118 BY RICHARD HUMPHREYS Parag Ladha explains how Microsoft is leveraging new tools and technologies to secure and enhance manufacturing operations, improve operational efficiency and help manufacturers meet their environmental and social responsibilities FEATURE Operating at the highest level Digital technologies have significant power to transform the manufacturing industry, according to Zebra Technologies’ 2024 report, The Rise of the Connected Factory, which states that “by augmenting workers and harnessing the power of flexible solutions that improve collaboration between C-suite, IT and operational technology (OT), manufacturers will experience enhanced connectivity, informed decision-making and improved sustainability”. Ninety-two per cent of the global manufacturing leaders surveyed in the report shared that digital transformation is now a strategic priority for them. This statistic would have been quite different prior to 2020, as Parag Ladha, director of manufacturing industry marketing at Microsoft, says manufacturers’ core operations like production planning, inventory management, quality control, supply chain management and customer service would have largely been manual processes. “Those operations were often characterised by siloed data and limited use of advanced technologies,” says Ladha. “However, the pandemic accelerated digital transformation, leading manufacturers to adopt cloud-based solutions, artificial intelligence-powered tools and internet of things (IoT) technologies. This shift has greatly enhanced efficiency, resilience and agility, enabling better disruption management and optimised production processes.” Ladha explains that manufacturers can use these technologies to increase both their agility and ability to respond to challenges caused by global economic volatility, ongoing supply chain disruptions and fluctuating market demands. Building a robust digital infrastructure also enables them to move to remote and hybrid work models while maintaining operational efficiency and fostering innovation. “Cloud and AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot are crucial for safeguarding manufacturing processes and driving innovation,” says Ladha. Several notable examples demonstrate the measurable impact of solutions like Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing and Copilot on manufacturing operations. In South Korea, LS Electric has used Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing and Copilot to harness unstructured plant data, resulting in a 20 per cent reduction in power consumption on certain manufacturing lines. “ Microsoft Copilot is crucial for safeguarding manufacturing processes and driving innovation”
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