Top 3 Ways Manufacturers Modernize Operations with Data & AI

In This Article

Improve skilled worker productivity by automating repetitive tasks

Manufactures are grappling with a growing shortage of skilled workers, but AI and intelligent automation offer a lifeline. This technology doesn’t just replace workers; it empowers them by automating repetitive, manual tasks and freeing them to tackle more strategic projects that directly impact the bottom line.

That’s exactly what one automotive plant experienced when they partnered with MCA Connect for a Data Value Assessment (DVA). This high-volume facility produced 300,000 vehicles a year. However, the procurement team had little time to negotiate pricing or efficiently purchase key materials like steel and aluminum.

After learning about these challenges, MCA Connect’s data experts proposed a DVA. This month-long engagement helps clients uncover and prioritize opportunities to get the most value from their data. As part of this process, the plant discovered the procurement team spent 58% of its time on tedious tasks like transferring data and chasing down documents. Only a fraction of their efforts directly boosted the bottom line.

On our recommendation, the automotive plant implemented a low-code solution powered by a modern analytics foundation. This foundation enabled the plant to better track market trends, raw materials costs, vendor pricing, and coordinate approvals and collaboration across teams.

By leveraging DVA insights, the plant is set to save 600-800 hours weekly, slash procurement costs by millions for a single raw material, and unlock further benefits as they expand the solution.

Read the full success story here.

Boost efficiency and reduce downtime with real-time visibility

With real-time decision-making capabilities on the shop floor, manufacturers can increase production efficiency and reduce downtime by responding swiftly to changing conditions.

Trivium Packaging, a $3.3 billion sustainable packaging solutions leader, learned this firsthand. Trivium’s production data was siloed in various systems and messy spreadsheets, making analysis difficult. By the time Trivium identified issues with speed, quality, or machine utilization, days had passed. This delay led to waste, breakdowns, and missed deadlines.

Working with MCA Connect, Trivium’s leaders created a data collection system that pulls data directly from their production and scheduling tools. To make things even clearer for Trivium’s team, we designed three detailed reports that show how their machines are doing at any given moment.

Thanks to this new approach, Trivium gets a complete production view in just 10 minutes. Gone are the days of waiting 2-3 days to discover a quality issue, leading to piles of scrap. This massive improvement – nearly 100% better data visibility – empowers Trivium to quickly address production hiccups, optimize scarce resources like skilled workers and plant capacity, and keep things running smoothly.

See how Trivium achieved success.  

Optimize demand forecasting with data-driven insights

Accurate forecasting keeps shelves stocked without excess inventory. While it can feel like a guessing game, there are now practical ways to get it right. One major food service company discovered this after years of struggling with poor sales forecasting and weak demand models. The company aimed to provide high-quality products at a great value. However, outdated systems and forecasting led to missed sales, expiring inventory, and millions lost.

Guided by our team, the food service company: 

• Consolidated their data across virtually every function in the value chain – from sales to delivery and service. 
• Gained real-time insights by building a system for on-the-spot data analysis. 
• Overhauled forecasting for better accuracy and ongoing adaptation. 
• Automated efficiency by creating a seamless POS system that optimizes truck inventory, suggests upsells, and maximizes delivery routes. 
• Used hard data to choose between delivery and shipping for each customer.

Explore our flipbook for more data and AI success stories.