Manufacturers Must Modernize IT Systems or Face the Consequences
Manufacturing companies face increasing pressure to modernize their IT systems due to growing cybersecurity threats and regulatory requirements. A forklift breaking down at 3 a.m. without anyone knowing until the next morning shift is a common issue in plants still running decade-old manufacturing execution system (MES) software.
The consequences of downtime are becoming more expensive, with ransomware and supply shocks making every hour lost costly. To address these challenges, companies need to adopt predictive maintenance, IT/OT convergence, and digitalize sustainability paperwork.
Several leading IT partners have emerged to help manufacturers achieve this goal. DXC Technology, Accenture, Deloitte, IBM, Capgemini, McKinsey, Software AG, PTC, Hitachi Vantara, and Endava are among the top contenders.
These companies offer a range of services, from smart manufacturing portfolios to predictive maintenance solutions. For example, DXC's Smart Manufacturing portfolio ties IoT, AI, and OT security together, while Accenture's Industry X group pairs generative AI with product engineering to run factory simulations before production begins.