MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY A SEA OF OPPORTUNITY AS LIFE GETS BACK TO NORMAL

mployers are adapting to “new normal” best practices in the workplace, taking precautionary steps to prevent the spread and facility-based outbreaks, like this fancy gadget from Kenzen that employees can wear for real-time body temperature monitoring.

Finding opportunity amidst the pandemic seems to be a common thread, with a survey of the industry reporting 60% of manufacturing employees agreeing that COVID-19 created a space for increased innovation, the majority citing collaborative manufacturing as a key opportunity.

For example, HP introduced a new polypropylene material that expands 3D printing capabilities, enabling new applications and a variety of opportunities.

Some hiring trends also indicate that manufacturing will recover with a stronger U.S. base, as employers realized gaps that existed in the supply chain and now look to make new hires here instead of overseas. Some suggest these hiring trends will also lead to simplification of the supply chain in general.

Experts are also suggesting how big data and artificial intelligence can fuel some decisions made based on experiences bouncing out of the recent pandemic and just in general to increase business success in the industry going forward.