There’s a lot of talk about Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). But how do manufacturers turn the buzzword into a real business advantage? By using the data-based technology to improve asset utilisation.

Manufacturing high-quality products at minimum cost is the goal for most companies. Industry 4.0 initiatives promise to get us closer to this dream than ever before. Despite being in varying stages of implementing a digital strategy and digitising operations, many in the manufacturing industry are seeing the huge opportunities these initiatives offer. One of the most talked about initiatives is artificial intelligence (AI).

As supply chains become complex and food and beverage manufacturers expand into new markets, the quality management process becomes more challenging.

 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an analyst at Nukon?

From poring over the tiny details in an effort to save customers money, to contributing towards the development of exciting new technology designed to tackle the war on waste - we spoke to former Junior Analyst-turned-Nukon Senior Analyst Scott Schulz for an overview of his role and what it looks like day-to-day.

While food recalls are a relatively rare occurrence – according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), there are on average 67 food recalls per year – they can pose a significant danger to public health and safety if not done correctly or in a timely manner. That is why the FSANZ requires that manufacturers, wholesalers and importers of food have a detailed system in place to ensure the recall of unsafe food.

Industry leaders are constantly talking about the ways that manufacturing factories strive for greater speed and scale on the factory floor, while sustaining product quality throughout all operations.

 There is always a lot of talk about the manufacturing industry and what’s going on out there in the market, but as a digital operations consultancy that helps customer organisations to improve business agility, we rarely share our own insights and observations.

For several decades, manufacturers have driven their continuous improvement and quality management programs based on Lean, Six Sigma or Overall Equipment Effectiveness philosophies.

Amazon has undergone constant digital transformation, from its beginnings as a small mail-order bookstore in 1994, to a global organisation boasting $38 billion in revenue in 2017. How does it continue to stay ahead of the pack and harness the latest digital technologies to improve its own business processes?