Deloitte: Navigating the manufacturing landscape in 2024

Jason Bergstrom is the Senior Commercial Advisor and Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP. Last year, Bergstrom shared his 2023 predictions with Manufacturing Digital. He caught up with us this year, to look at the future of the manufacturing sector. 

Navigating the smart manufacturing landscape in 2024: Innovation, workforce challenges and smart strategies

“In 2024, we anticipate that manufacturers will grapple with persistent obstacles due to ongoing economic volatility, lingering supply chain issues and new variables with product innovation to meet sustainability and net-zero commitments. Emerging technology will continue to play a role in overcoming these challenges – not only in creating efficiency and resiliency – but also in creating new and enhanced offerings for customers to enhance loyalty and create competitive advantage. At the same time, we see that many manufacturing leaders are being overwhelmed with the possibilities of new and novel approaches, but in order to create a truly smart operation, there needs to be a balance of first solving problems and then creating an effective business strategy by implementing the right technology – we work with our clients to balance this and help them engineer advantage.

Jason Bergstrom is the Senior Commercial Advisor and Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

“As mentioned in our 2024 trends, the workforce continues to be an issue that cuts across all industries and is at top-of-mind for manufacturers. As older generations continue leaving the workforce in droves, companies across sectors are forced to fill positions rapidly. Yet, at the same time, technology advancements are creating a larger skills gap that cannot be filled effectively with the current applicant pool as it stands. As a solution, manufacturers are leaning into knowledge transfer initiatives – using the older generations to train and pass down information to the newer ones. These initiatives will take a combination of upskilling and a healthy organisational culture to be successful. Many companies have already started creating initiatives that address the talent gap and ageing workforce, some focusing on young professionals already in the workforce and some tackling the issue at a more grassroots level. We’re seeing some companies introduce alumni programmes for retiring employees, for example. Deloitte’s Smart Manufacturing practice created the Smart Factory Believers programme, a purpose-driven education and skills programme that works with schools that are Title I eligible (those that receive or are eligible to receive additional federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education due to the high percentage of low-income families they serve) and with communities that have historically lacked access to high-quality STEM programmes. The goal of the programme is to open doors for students in underserved communities to ignite interest in smart manufacturing and STEM in children who may not otherwise have had access to such a curriculum.”

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Other magazines that may be of interest - Healthcare Digital. 

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