The December issue of IndustryWeek features three otherwise unrelated articles that all tackle the same theme: manufacturing's transition from the disconnected systems of the past to high-tech, automated factories filled with a whole new breed of workers.
The first—Tales of an ERP Implementation—tells the story of Jelly Belly's selection of a modern, 21st-century ERP platform to replace the old school green screen system that had been driving the business for decades.
Next—Connecting the Future—recounts how Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation (IW 500/165) transitioned from a tightly controlled network of local manufacturing facilities to a global network of high-precision, automated factories.
The subtext to each of these stories echo the same: we are at a major generational shift in manufacturing, moving from the age of brute force and tribal knowledge to high tech systems and automated intelligence. The success of that transition, of course, depends on the generation of workers that will be on the front lines.
And that's where the third story fits in.
Steve Minter's piece—The iGeneration Comes to Manufacturing (We Hope)—provides an in-depth exploration of this new culture of workers and how the technologies they use and the skills they bring are helping to reshape the industry.
In December's edition of the IW Monthly Podcast, Steve and I discuss the intersections of these stories and what they tell us about the future of manufacturing.
Press the play button below to listen to this podcast in its entirety.
