Recently there was a fascinating... and very encouraging... article posted in the technology website, TechCrunch, that extolled the bright future in manufacturing for those companies that embrace cloud technology and lean manufacturing principles. In fact, the article was so optimistic that it was entitled The Next Industrial Revolution Should Happen in America. This prompted us to look for some specific examples in practice today. It didn't take us long to find three close to home for infrastructure product tracking.
We have one customer that designs, builds and installs sewage treatment plans. Already tracking its QC process electronically to reduce errors, the company demonstrates this to prospects and customers so they can see first-hand the steps that it is taking to ensure superior product quality. Our customer justifiably believes that its extra efforts in quality control and its transparency to the market will create more customer value and place it in a better position to win bids.
We have many customers that manufacture precast products for the construction industry. One sells a patented pavement replacement product to municipalities as a more efficient and effective way to manage road repairs than pour-in-place. This company wants to provide its customers and their repair contractors with: i) a map of all panels in place; and ii) the means to access information about each one on-line. The company is looking to become a leader in smart infrastructure and is finding that the response to product tracking from its prospects is a positive indication that they will succeed.
NH DOT announced on July 1, 2015 that it has received a grant to equip the Memorial Bridge, spanning from Portsmouth, NH to Kittery, ME, with 250 sensors that will continually monitor traffic, the environment, and the structural condition of the bridge. These sensors will specifically collect data on such conditions as traffic, stress, vibration, wind speed, temperature, and humidity. The sensors will be powered by tidal energy through a turbine system installed at a bridge pier.
As we discussed in our July 3 post, we see this as an historic opportunity. Manufacturers that recognize the value of information to their customers will make significant gains in market share and become established as leaders in the "New Industrial Revolution". In the meantime, they will enjoy the benefits of improved internal productivity from applying information technology to their own purposes.
It is good to see this happening already.
About Idencia
Our purpose at Idencia is to offer infrastructure asset tracking solutions that improve productivity throughout the infrastructure value chain.. to create lean infrastructure. Our subscription offering applies RFID tracking to infrastructure products from the time of manufacture through end-of-life. As a cloud-hosted product tracking system that is seamless between manufacturers, contractors and asset managers, Idencia adds information value to all, eliminates redundancy and saves time. If you would like to learn how Idencia can help your company, we invite you to download a copy of our Idencia Primer ebook.
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