<h2>Executive Summary</h2><ul><li><p>To propel India toward its ambitious goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, the manufacturing sector must double its capacity in the coming years.</p></li><li><p>As supply chains become increasingly intricate, digitalisation will be a key tool that enables companies to identify anomalies and efficiently address them.</p></li><li><p>Manufacturers in India are allocating ~35% of their operating budgets to technology investments, surpassing the global mean as well as those in leading countries like the US and Japan.</p></li><li><p>A majority (59%) are poised to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year, with 57% already utilising smart manufacturing solutions.</p></li><li><p>In response to manpower shortages, half of Indian manufacturers plan to implement flexible scheduling and utilise technology to create more engaging job opportunities.</p></li></ul>.<p>The productivity gains realised by the manufacturing sector in the last decade have been a critical component of growth. Much of these gains were made possible by the adoption of technology and digitisation along the entire manufacturing value-chain. A process that began over two decades ago with the invention of computer-aided design and production has leapt forward with the growing adoption of AI. Looking ahead, to propel India toward its ambitious goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, the manufacturing sector must double its capacity in the coming years. This transformation is particularly challenging, given that 97% of manufacturing firms in India are MSMEs. Technology will necessarily play a key role here, underpinned by strong leadership that can steer organisations through the various stages of their transformation journey. At a recent India CEO Forum session in Chennai, Dilip Sawhney, Regional Vice President of Rockwell Automation, provided a perspective on how digitisation and automation are impacting the manufacturing sector.</p>.<h2>Sustainable manufacturing is the reality</h2><p>Sustainability and digitalisation are deeply intertwined, forming two halves of a coin. To achieve sustainability in its true sense, businesses must be able to pinpoint the parts of their operations that have the most significant environmental impact. As supply chains become increasingly intricate, digitalisation will remain a critical tool, enabling companies to identify anomalies and efficiently address them. It will also empowers organisations to navigate complexities and proactively enhance their operations for a more sustainable future.</p>.<h2>The state of Indian manufacturing sector</h2><p>Smart manufacturing technologies can be key drivers of ESG and sustainability success. Rockwell’s 8<sup>th</sup> annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report sheds light on findings from manufacturers worldwide. Manufacturers in India, on average, allocate ~35% of their operating budgets to technology investments, surpassing the global means as well as the averages in leading countries like the US and Japan. Smart manufacturing continues to gain momentum as a critical catalyst for digital transformation. A majority (59%) of Indian manufacturers are poised to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year, with 57% already utilising smart manufacturing solutions. However, challenges persist, with employee resistance to technology adoption and change cited as the primary barrier, followed by a lack of knowledge and skills to leverage smart manufacturing benefits. In response to manpower shortages, half of all Indian manufacturers plan to implement flexible scheduling and utilise technology to create more engaging job opportunities. Additionally, a big majority (87%) have formal ESG or sustainability policies in place, underscoring their commitment to responsible business practices.</p>.<h2><em>Humanising technology: Some case studies</em></h2><p>The long-running use of technology in manufacturing has and continues to generate vast amounts of data. However, this data is often located in silos, limiting its effectiveness. Rockwell's focus lies in revolutionising the entire value chain through digital technology. By enhancing connectivity and striving for autonomous operations, leveraging advancements such as new software capabilities, AI, connected devices and computing power, Rockwell aims to interconnect processes and people. Through digital integration, disparate data sources can be unified, contextualised and leveraged to derive actionable insights that drive optimal decisions and actions. The concept of a ‘digital thread’ breathes life into the connected enterprise, catalysing transformations in product innovation. By weaving together data, processes and people, Rockwell envisions a future where digital technology seamlessly enhances every aspect of the manufacturing journey.</p><p> A certain auto-component company faced challenges in developing reliable tyres. It employed historical data and models to anticipate <em>where</em> in the production process defects were likely to occur, which resulted in the generation of huge volumes of data – too much, in fact, for any human to be able to analyse. Nevertheless, human analysis of the data did help provide a <em>prescriptive diagnosis</em> that enabled certain necessary improvements. By blending technological and human insights, the company was able to identify corrective actions, leading to significant improvements in tire quality. This resulted in a 45% reduction in downtime events and an increase in annual production of nearly 570,000 additional tyres.</p>
<h2>Executive Summary</h2><ul><li><p>To propel India toward its ambitious goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, the manufacturing sector must double its capacity in the coming years.</p></li><li><p>As supply chains become increasingly intricate, digitalisation will be a key tool that enables companies to identify anomalies and efficiently address them.</p></li><li><p>Manufacturers in India are allocating ~35% of their operating budgets to technology investments, surpassing the global mean as well as those in leading countries like the US and Japan.</p></li><li><p>A majority (59%) are poised to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year, with 57% already utilising smart manufacturing solutions.</p></li><li><p>In response to manpower shortages, half of Indian manufacturers plan to implement flexible scheduling and utilise technology to create more engaging job opportunities.</p></li></ul>.<p>The productivity gains realised by the manufacturing sector in the last decade have been a critical component of growth. Much of these gains were made possible by the adoption of technology and digitisation along the entire manufacturing value-chain. A process that began over two decades ago with the invention of computer-aided design and production has leapt forward with the growing adoption of AI. Looking ahead, to propel India toward its ambitious goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, the manufacturing sector must double its capacity in the coming years. This transformation is particularly challenging, given that 97% of manufacturing firms in India are MSMEs. Technology will necessarily play a key role here, underpinned by strong leadership that can steer organisations through the various stages of their transformation journey. At a recent India CEO Forum session in Chennai, Dilip Sawhney, Regional Vice President of Rockwell Automation, provided a perspective on how digitisation and automation are impacting the manufacturing sector.</p>.<h2>Sustainable manufacturing is the reality</h2><p>Sustainability and digitalisation are deeply intertwined, forming two halves of a coin. To achieve sustainability in its true sense, businesses must be able to pinpoint the parts of their operations that have the most significant environmental impact. As supply chains become increasingly intricate, digitalisation will remain a critical tool, enabling companies to identify anomalies and efficiently address them. It will also empowers organisations to navigate complexities and proactively enhance their operations for a more sustainable future.</p>.<h2>The state of Indian manufacturing sector</h2><p>Smart manufacturing technologies can be key drivers of ESG and sustainability success. Rockwell’s 8<sup>th</sup> annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report sheds light on findings from manufacturers worldwide. Manufacturers in India, on average, allocate ~35% of their operating budgets to technology investments, surpassing the global means as well as the averages in leading countries like the US and Japan. Smart manufacturing continues to gain momentum as a critical catalyst for digital transformation. A majority (59%) of Indian manufacturers are poised to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year, with 57% already utilising smart manufacturing solutions. However, challenges persist, with employee resistance to technology adoption and change cited as the primary barrier, followed by a lack of knowledge and skills to leverage smart manufacturing benefits. In response to manpower shortages, half of all Indian manufacturers plan to implement flexible scheduling and utilise technology to create more engaging job opportunities. Additionally, a big majority (87%) have formal ESG or sustainability policies in place, underscoring their commitment to responsible business practices.</p>.<h2><em>Humanising technology: Some case studies</em></h2><p>The long-running use of technology in manufacturing has and continues to generate vast amounts of data. However, this data is often located in silos, limiting its effectiveness. Rockwell's focus lies in revolutionising the entire value chain through digital technology. By enhancing connectivity and striving for autonomous operations, leveraging advancements such as new software capabilities, AI, connected devices and computing power, Rockwell aims to interconnect processes and people. Through digital integration, disparate data sources can be unified, contextualised and leveraged to derive actionable insights that drive optimal decisions and actions. The concept of a ‘digital thread’ breathes life into the connected enterprise, catalysing transformations in product innovation. By weaving together data, processes and people, Rockwell envisions a future where digital technology seamlessly enhances every aspect of the manufacturing journey.</p><p> A certain auto-component company faced challenges in developing reliable tyres. It employed historical data and models to anticipate <em>where</em> in the production process defects were likely to occur, which resulted in the generation of huge volumes of data – too much, in fact, for any human to be able to analyse. Nevertheless, human analysis of the data did help provide a <em>prescriptive diagnosis</em> that enabled certain necessary improvements. By blending technological and human insights, the company was able to identify corrective actions, leading to significant improvements in tire quality. This resulted in a 45% reduction in downtime events and an increase in annual production of nearly 570,000 additional tyres.</p>
