Manufacturing Executive - January/February 2009 - (Page 4) A Manufacturing Executive JAN/FEB-09 MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVE s a new year begins, Europe’s manufacturers are still spinning after last year’s economic carnage. But if there’s one thing about a global crisis, it certainly helps focus the executive mind. Today’s manufactured products are probably the best — and the most efficiently produced — the world has ever seen.Yet, rapidly imploding markets, plummeting indicators, dried-up investment, rising costs, and short orders are already shaking the very foundations of the global manufacturing community. And the journey ahead looks like it’s going to get even rockier. Radical cost cutting is the obvious survival mantra. But where there’s pain, there can also be gain. Perhaps it’s time to focus on how you can use the journey to make the most of the future. The world may look very different when we finally emerge from the current deep downturn. Being ready to adapt to that new world is critical. IT is one of the most important strategic initiatives that can still drive competitiveness, efficiency, and cost reductions in troubled times. It can also help transform the company into a more streamlined and agile enterprise that’s ready to cope with a more demanding and volatile resurgent economy in the years ahead. Leaning the production process to drive down costs and waste, tightening supply chains to make the company more responsive, integrating production and business systems to gain efficiencies and speed, exploring digital factory technologies to create greater agility, and restructuring major contracts with key suppliers are smart strategies for manufacturers to implement in the months ahead. Every innovation, every efficiency gain, and every opportunity to bridge costly gaps in the manufacturing IT ecosystem will help. The pressure is on. Now is the time to use all the technological tools in the box to help create a more efficient, agile enterprise that can cope successfully in tomorrow’s volatile world. Improvements made now will streamline the organisation for years to come. A Fresh Look for 2009 PUBLISHER HEATHER L. HOLST-KNUDSEN +1 212-290-8724 hholstknudsen@thomaspublishing.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. BROUSELL +1 212-629-1510 dbrousell@thomaspublishing.com EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT PAMELA O’DONNELL +1 212-629-2164 podonnell@thomaspublishing.com Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITORS +44 (0) 1934-863-815 mhalper@thomaspublishing.com +44 (0) 7973 510-458 ptate@thomaspublishing.com MARK HALPER PAUL TATE MANAGING EDITOR +1 212-629-1540 esloane@thomaspublishing.com EMILY-SUE SLOANE SENIOR WEB EDITORS CONSTANZE SCHMITZ +32 (0)15 45 86 66 c.schmitz@tim-europe.com +1 212-560-1849 dhimes@thomaspublishing.com DIANE HIMES 4 Columnists PIERFRANCESCO MANENTI IDC Manufacturing Insights Milan, Italy LISA BODELL futurethink New York, NY Design & Production DESIGN DIRECTOR +1 212-629-1519 rclark@thomaspublishing.com At Manufacturing Executive, we believe in the value of transformation. We also believe that our readers deserve the very best in a magazine. So we’ve had our design team create a totally fresh look, debuting with this issue. The new Manufacturing Executive is sharper, bolder, and more insightful than ever. We hope it will help you take a fresh look at transforming your enterprise in the year ahead. ME Paul Tate is Executive Editor of Manufacturing Executive. ROBERT CLARK ADVERTISING PRODUCTION DIRECTOR +1 212-629-1520 rrios@thomaspublishing.com REGGIE RIOS OR l IT au ED P t Ta e READY GET UPTURN FOR THE gle th s strug th rough e ec p ta te @ th o m a s p u b li s h in g .c o PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER +1 212-629-1503 bgallof@thomaspublishing.com BRIAN GALLOF onomic WEB DESIGNER +1 212-629-1511 ppolicarpio@thomaspublishing.com urer anufact pean m training uro ould be en as E Ev cts. ives sh prospe execut growth nturn, dow future eye on st one at lea PAUL POLICARPIO m
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