Taking the manufacturing floor high-tech

Respondents to the GMO survey are showing progression to an integrated manufacturing strategy and having a digital factory. Twenty-five percent of the CEOs responding to KPMG's GMO survey say they have already invested in 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies. An equal number say they have already invested in artificial intelligence and cognitive computing technologies.

KPMG's GMO survey shows that the use of robotics on the manufacturing floor is also likely to attract significant investment. In fact, almost two-fifths of survey respondents say they will definitely channel significant amounts of their R&D investments towards robotics over the next two years.

"Manufacturers are evolving into industry 4.0 and becoming more digital. Investments into new manufacturing technologies are a way to enhance agility, flexibility and speed to market when designing and launching new products and services- critical elements for manufacturing companies to win in the marketplace," concludes Gates.

"As an increasingly important and integrated part of the global supply chain, India's manufacturers are now starting to recognize that they are not immune to the economic shocks and disruption of other markets. For growth to be sustainable, therefore, India's manufacturers - and those foreign players that rely on India's shop floors - will need to rethink their risk exposure and manage their risks appropriately. At a time when manufacturers around the world are dealing with deep uncertainty, India is emerging as a strong and reliable bet,'' concludes Sukumar.

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