219 delegates took part in the 133rd GastroSuisse delegates' meeting at "Les Patinoires du Littoral" in Neuchâtel. Casimir Platzer, the retiring President of GastroSuisse, led the packed program for the last time. The main topic in the ice rink of the Neuchâtel ice hockey club was the general elections. Platzer led the association for ten years. "I am grateful for what we have achieved and that we have made our association one of the most important in the country," said the Bernese Oberlander, looking back on his time in office.

Esther Friedli and Gilles Meystre, members of the GastroSuisse Board, paid tribute to his work: "Casimir Platzer has put his heart and soul into our industry and made our association politically effective in particular. "During his time in office, Platzer strengthened and institutionalized the Parliamentary Group for the Hospitality Industry and initiated top-level meetings with all political parties. He has consistently fought for favorable political and economic conditions in the hospitality industry. The delegates appointed Casimir Platzer as Honorary President.

Two candidates were vying for the office of President: the current Vice President Massimo Suter from Ticino and Beat Imhof from Zurich. Imhof won the race after the first round of voting. "I am very pleased and will do everything I can to meet the high demands," said the newly elected GastroSuisse President. Beat Imhof is a trained chef and completed his Master's degree in General Management at the EMBA University in Lucerne. The 52-year-old was Managing Director of dine&shine Event Catering, SV Schweiz AG from 2011 to 2015 and Head of Catering and Deputy Managing Director of Samsung Hall from 2015 to 2018. He has been CEO of the Casino Theater in Winterthur since 2018. Imhof has two children and has been President of GastroWinterthur since 2023. Until 2023, he was a lecturer in event management at the FHGR and ZHAW. He is also an HFP examination expert at Hotel & Gastro formation in Weggis.

Muriel Hauser and Moritz Rogger, two long-standing members of the Board of Directors, stepped down. Both were appointed honorary members. The delegates elected Gilles Meystre, also a long-standing member of the Board of Directors, as Vice President. Maurus Ebneter was confirmed as Treasurer. Seven candidates vied for the other six seats on the Board. Daniela Segmüller, David Maye and Samuel Vörös were newly elected to the Board. The new GastroSuisse Board is therefore made up as follows:

• Beat Imhof, Winterthur; Chairman (new)
• Gilles Meystre, Pully; Vice Chairman (previously member of the Board of Directors)
• Maurus Ebneter, Basel; Trésorier (previously)
• Bruno Lustenberger, Aarburg; Member of the Board of Directors (to date)
• André Roduit, Saillon; Member of the Board of Directors (to date)
• Esther Friedli, Ebnat-Kappel; Member of the Board of Directors (to date)
• David Maye, Neuchâtel; Member of the Board of Directors (new)
• Samuel Vörös, Lucerne; Member of the Board of Directors (new)
• Daniela Segmüller, Zurich; Member of the Board of Directors (new)

Source: www.gastrosuisse.ch

The most important findings from Switzerland

For marketing managers in this country, improving the use of tools and technologies is a priority. CMOs are often under pressure to maintain or even exceed marketing performance with fewer resources. Therefore, they may see optimizing their current technology stack as a promising solution.

However, they see the greatest challenge in standardizing the sources in which customer data is stored. Data and artificial intelligence can help marketing managers to reach customers in new ways and launch more efficient campaigns. However, their potential is far from exhausted. Even those who are already performing well still see room for improvement: 

• Only 39% of respondents in Switzerland are satisfied with their current options for customer data management and the corresponding customer experience. 
• 68% have access to real-time data to run campaigns. But 47% need the help of their IT department.

AI is being used widely: Marketers want to use AI successfully in their business based on the right data, but at the same time worry about security and customer trust while implementation gains driveway. 

• 83% of marketing experts in Switzerland are already experimenting with AI or have fully integrated it into their workflows. On a global average, only 32% have fully integrated AI into marketing and a further 43% are testing the technology.
• The three most popular AI use cases in Switzerland are: 
  • Programmatic advertising and media buying
  • Automation of data integration
  • Improvement of customer segmentation and target group modeling

"We are in a new era of AI. Marketers will be most successful when they leverage the rapid advances in technology to better connect with customers and prospects. A solid data foundation will be critical to the AI success of marketing teams as they work to merge and unify customer data for real-time activation," comments Vanessa Gentile, Head of Marketing Salesforce Switzerland, on the findings.

Synthesis of further and global results and trends

Worldwide, marketers use a median of 9 tactical measures to collect customer data and better understand their target group. The majority of these come from customer service activities. Innovative marketers are more likely to seek a connected view of their customers and a full-funnel approach to data. Fully integrated data is more prevalent among companies that are practicing high-performance marketing. This suggests that investing in the right tools is paying off and unifying data can give marketers an advantage. 

Source: www.salesforce.com

The procedure is divided into three steps:

Step 1: Analyzing the database

To ensure that the first step is not the most difficult, simus systems starts by analyzing a sample of the existing data in a preliminary project. This can be in databases, ERP and PDM systems. The data is sorted and enriched by the powerful simus classmate software according to predefined rules and stored in a results database. The initial results are used to determine the objectives and costs of master data management.

Step 2: Rule-based optimization loops

In the second step, the entire database is systematically condensed, enriched and structured using integrated, customizable sets of rules. Simus classmate compares company data with standard classes of standard and purchased parts and, if required, suggests classes for the company-specific product range. The rule-based assignment of the data records produces correct results very quickly.

These results are further refined in workshops with the specialist departments concerned. Using the classmate Finder search engine, the project participants can filter and view the data in order to identify any errors, duplicates or inaccuracies. The basic rules are then customized until an optimization loop delivers all the desired results.

Thanks to automation, large quantities of material masters are quickly and easily transformed in line with ERP and imported via interfaces. With this methodology and the best-practice rules, users and service providers save up to 80 percent of the usual effort.

Step 3: Ensure sustainable data quality

In the third step, the data quality achieved is secured. Authorized employees can find all desired data quickly and reliably with the classmate Finder. This reduces the search effort and protects against duplicates. It also sets up a binding material master creation process. Flexibly definable workflows automate the rule-compliant creation of material masters across departmental boundaries. Efficiency gains result from a high reuse rate of components, the standardization of purchased parts and lower administration and warehousing costs.

Source: www.symus-systems.com

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/in-3-schritten-zu-perfekten-material-stammdaten/

Energy management is a key focus of the sustainability strategy. The decision to connect to district heating in Winterthur (Switzerland) and the use of photovoltaics in Singen (Germany) are key measures to reduce the ecological footprint. Another focus is on developing more sustainable packaging solutions. For example, Pawi is working with ETH Zurich to develop soy water-based films for paper see-through bags. "Our aim is to make a significant contribution to environmental protection by using renewable energies and efficient technologies," explains Edoardo Finotti, Co-CEO Operations at Pawi Packaging Schweiz AG.

Pawi has also made great progress in the area of social sustainability by introducing the sociocratic organizational structure at the production site in Singen. This structure aims to promote a positive corporate culture and strengthen employee participation and responsibility. "The introduction of sociocracy enables us to create a working environment in which every voice is heard and every employee can actively participate in decision-making," says Ralf Kautzmann, Managing Director of Pawi Packaging Deutschland GmbH.

Long-term goals and commitment

PAWI reaffirms its long-term commitment to the environment and society. In addition to the goal of contributing to CO₂-Science Based Targets (SBTi) will be introduced in the medium term to help the city of Winterthur achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Other measures include a planned roof renovation including photovoltaic installation at the production site in Winterthur and the integration of electric trucks into the vehicle fleet.

Source: www.pawi.com

The Berlinger Group, internationally renowned for its anti-doping products and technologically advanced temperature monitoring systems, is realigning itself. Berlinger & Co. AG (temperature monitoring division) will be formally sold to the American Sensitech Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation) in the third quarter of 2024. Berlinger Special AG (anti-doping products), which has been a market leader for several decades, will remain in family ownership. Both divisions will continue to be based at the current production site in Ganterschwil, Canton St. Gallen.

Strategic realignment of the temperature monitoring division (Berlinger & Co. AG)

In September 2023, the Board of Directors of Berlinger & Co. AG decided to strategically reposition the temperature monitoring division. Berlinger & Co. AG has developed one of the world's most advanced platforms for cold chain monitoring of vaccines, pharmaceutical products and clinical trials over the past three years. The platform, known under the brand name "Smart Systems", and the associated temperature monitoring devices are among the most innovative products in the relevant applications.

This global industry requires a worldwide presence and correspondingly flexible solutions in the respective markets. With the sale of the temperature monitoring business to the international market leader Sensitech Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation) from the USA, the Berlinger-Schwyter owner family aims to ensure sustainable growth for its own developments and position its services and products worldwide.

Takeover of Berlinger & Co. AG planned for the third quarter of 2024

The negotiations for the takeover of Berlinger & Co. AG were successfully concluded in June 2024. The formal takeover of the Cold Chain Monitoring business unit (Berlinger & Co. AG, with its subsidiaries Antaris Solutions BV and Berlinger USA LLC) is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024. Sensitech Inc., based in Beverly, Massachusetts (USA), is acquiring Berlinger & Co. AG, (Cold Chain Monitoring) together with its approximately 85 employees.

Anti-doping business unit remains in the ownership of the Berlinger-Schwyter family

The Berlinger Special AG business unit's anti-doping products, which have been leading for decades, will remain in the ownership of the Berlinger-Schwyter family. Berlinger Special AG produces anti-doping control containers for human and animal applications under the brand name "BEREG Kits". These are used at almost all major sporting events and preparatory training sessions worldwide. For around ten years now, animals have also increasingly been tested for doping at major events and training sessions. Berlinger Special AG is also a leader in this globally growing segment.

Sustainable business planning

With this important strategic step, the Boards of Directors of the Berlinger companies (Berlinger & Co. AG and Berlinger Special AG) are ensuring that both companies can continue to develop successfully and profitably in different business areas. With its two business units, the Swiss Berlinger Group already operates more than 90 percent in the international market environment. Access to international markets is of crucial importance for the sustainable development of all services provided by the Berlinger Group.

The sale of the temperature monitoring company Berlinger & Co. AG to U.S.-based Sensitech Inc. was deemed by the Board of Directors to be an ideal and future-proof option for the company's own innovations. Sensitech Inc. is a world leader in the field of temperature monitoring systems. The integration of the systems and services developed in Switzerland and the Netherlands into an internationally active group (Carrier Global Corporation) enables continuous further development and a global presence in the respective markets.

The formal takeover of Berlinger & Co. AG (temperature monitoring systems) is expected in the third quarter of 2024. The completion of the transaction will be communicated publicly. The takeover price has been tacitly agreed.

Source: www.berlinger.com

The study highlights the importance of digital technologies for achieving the Swiss climate target and shows that digitalization represents a significant lever for closing the "climate gap" by 2030.

2030 climate target: Switzerland must drastically reduce its CO2 emissions

In accordance with the Paris Agreement, Switzerland has committed to reducing its annual emissions by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. This corresponds to a reduction from approx. 55 to approx. 28 million tons of CO2eq. Emissions are already declining, but one challenge is becoming clear: Switzerland must reduce more CO2eq in the next six years than it has in the last 34 years - and close an annual climate gap of around 16 million tons of CO2eq. A Herculean task for which all the stops must be pulled out.

Digital technologies offer considerable savings potential

The study examines how digital technologies in the buildings, transport, industry, agriculture and energy sectors can contribute to reducing CO2eq emissions. To this end, specific digital use cases were examined, such as intelligent building management systems, real-time route optimization in freight transport or automated processes in industry. For this purpose, two digitalization speeds - standard digitalization and ambitious digitalization - were compared, which differ in the speed at which the use cases are adopted.

The use of all examined use cases could save between 1.2 and 3.2 million tons of CO2eq annually by 2030, which corresponds to around 7 to 20 percent of the existing climate gap or one to two times the current emissions of the canton of Thurgau. The speed of digitalization is decisive for the size of the leverage: ambitious digitalization could more than double the savings compared to standard digitalization. So if the current trend is not only continued, but the market penetration of digital technologies is accelerated, their full potential for climate protection can be exploited.

Business and politics have a responsibility

The results of the study clearly show that Swiss companies and private individuals are making an important contribution to climate protection through the use of digital technologies. It also shows that the savings potential between standard digitalization and ambitious digitalization is far apart. In order to realize the full savings potential, politicians in particular are called upon to create the necessary framework conditions and increased digitalization for Switzerland as a location for innovation.

Source: www.digitalswitzerland.com

550 participants once again found their way to the Circle Convention Center Zurich to listen to and discuss in person the customer and partner presentations representing the work of ServiceNow Switzerland, as well as to meet for further knowledge exchange and extensive networking. The number of customers from the IT sector and increasingly also from the business sector was highly impressive, which speaks for the expertise and development of ServiceNow as a company that has been based in Switzerland for 12 years.

The agenda at the ServiceNow Summit 2024 in Zurich included 23 presentations, 17 of which involved customer participation. They all showed how ServiceNow's solutions can be used profitably to drive digital transformation, process optimization and change in organizations - from service operations and customer service to HR and finance.

Added value for customers is crucial

The summit was clearly dominated by customer and partner engagement as well as the current topics of Gen AI, automation, CSM and the future of work and digitalization. The focus was on various industries such as public administration, the energy sector and retail/consumer packaged goods.

The numerous customer presentations were orchestrated by global, regional and local partners addressing specific market segments, industries or use cases. Accenture, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Swisscom and Plat4mation acted as sponsors and presenters at the summit.

Dino Minichiello, the Swiss Head of ServiceNow, who has been managing the business of ServiceNow since January 2024, says with conviction: "At ServiceNow, with our long-standing partners, we advise our customers on how to use the latest technologies for digital workflows and automation, such as Gen AI, to enable a more dynamic and efficient alignment of people and work and help find new ways of working in the future. We make companies more efficient, competitive and sustainable with technologies such as generative AI and SuperTech. Switzerland is an important market for us and our investments and long-standing collaborations in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland reflect our long-term strategy in Switzerland."

The 17 customer presentations at the Summit illustrated the benefits of the Now Platform and how new Gen AI functions of Now Assist increase productivity in the company, achieve cost savings and enable the scaling of innovations.

The engaged participants listened intently to the keynote speech on "Intelligent Enterprise - Transform to a digital Operating Model" by Hartmut Müller, Chief Transformation Officer at ServiceNow. He explained how to get the best out of a platform and how the Now platform enables companies to do just that while leveraging the capabilities of AI.

Digital transformation with ServiceNow

After the keynote, a customer panel with Bell Group and the Austrian OMV highlighted how customers can achieve digital transformation with the help of ServiceNow. In three breakout streams on topics such as Customer Service Management (CSM), Core IT & beyond and App Delivery and Automation, the ServiceNow Summit showed how selected partners are working with customers to intelligently transform and automate work into modern workflows.

On the topic of Customer Service Management (CSM), JTI (Japan Tobacco International) presented their journey to delivering world-class consumer care based on the ServiceNow platform and how they overcame the many challenges of rolling it out in multiple markets around the globe. SBB Contact Center shared how they partnered with DXC to develop an assisted mobility solution with the goal of providing the best support services to passengers in need of assistance throughout their journey.

The Public Services stream showed how Swiss Post is working with Swisscom to manage the company-wide ITSM transformation in order to take a major step towards operational excellence. And another presentation with partner Prozessfux showed how the canton of Zurich's citizens' and tax offices are directly networked. In the App Delivery and Automation Track, Cablex also presented how its service engineers can act faster and more competently in the installation and maintenance of connectivity boxes at the customer's premises with the support of an AI-guided app.

User experience and customer service

In terms of user experience (UX), Roche presented the topic "Building a next generation user centric risk and privacy platform" with partner EY. The speakers showed how simple and intuitive interfaces for security and data protection processes promote compliance, reduce inefficiencies and optimize costs in the long term.

The AMAG Group explained how it intends to further improve customer service together with its partner BitHawk, including through the use of artificial intelligence. BKW showed how the introduction of HR service delivery can result from IT service management and create a significantly better experience (EX) for all employees. Using the customer example of Regionalwerke AG Baden, Michael Nussbaumer, CIO of Regionalwerke AG Baden, who was named CIO of the Year in 2023, presented his vision for the transition to a digital operating model.

Finally, Heath Ramsey, VP Outbound Product Management, ServiceNow, explained in his keynote how the benefits of Generative AI can be fully realized when it is embedded in a cross-company platform. He also showed how companies can already use AI for everyday tasks with Virtual Assist from ServiceNow, in IT service management as well as in employee or customer-facing processes.

The enthusiastic audience appreciated the varied presentations, which were very authentic and informative thanks to the dialogs between partners and their customers. There was plenty to talk about at the networking aperitif to round off the interesting ServiceNow Summit 2024 in Zurich.

Source: www.servicenow.com

Every year at the Swiss Economic Forum, nine nominated finalists have the opportunity to pitch their business idea to the first-class jury and influential players from Swiss business, science and politics. The Swiss Economic Award honors outstanding entrepreneurial achievements in the categories "Services", "Deeptech/Lifesciences" and "Production/Commerce". This year's winners are:

• Flowit AG (in the Services category) - The generative AI-based "Digital Coach" takes the pressure off HR and managers: the Zurich-based start-up enables frontline employees to receive feedback and development in real time. Since September 2021, the company has acquired over 50 customers with more than 30,000 employees who have been able to reduce their fluctuation costs by up to 50 percent with the SaaS solution.

• Voliro AG (in the Deeptech/Lifesciences category) - Voliro is revolutionizing inspection, maintenance and repair work at height with innovative drones. By taking out 31 annual subscriptions for its Robotics-as-a-Service solution in just 14 months, Voliro has proven that its technology is not only innovative, versatile and adaptable, but also in high demand.

• Qumea AG (in the manufacturing/commercial category) - Qumea is revolutionizing healthcare with an innovative, anonymous patient room monitoring system that improves care processes through proactive risk management, fall prevention and medical decision support. 90 facilities are already using the system and Qumea continues to work to make care sustainable.

Source: www.swisseconomic.ch

In August, at least 85 people will start the three-year apprenticeship as a solar installer EFZ and at least 10 people will start the two-year apprenticeship as a solar technician EBA. A total of 163 companies have received a training permit for solar apprenticeships. 26 approval procedures are still ongoing. The official apprenticeship portal berufsberatung.ch currently has 72 unfilled apprenticeship vacancies. According to the cantonal education offices, the breakdown by canton at the beginning of June is as follows:

*No figures available yet

The two new job profiles are one of several measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the booming solar industry. According to the recently published short report on the demand for skilled workers by EBP Switzerland and Swissolar, the Swiss solar industry currently provides employment for 11,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs). In order to achieve the goals of the Energy Strategy 2050, the industry must grow to 20,000 FTEs by 2035. In the medium term, the need is therefore for around 850 new full-time positions per year. At the beginning of this school year, Swissolar is expecting at least 120 apprentices, and in the medium term around 300 apprenticeships per year. Swissolar is developing courses and other training opportunities for the additional skilled workers required in order to make it easier for career changers to enter the industry.

A lot of commitment from companies

Rita Hidalgo, Head of Education at Swissolar, comments on the figures from the cantonal education offices: "The professions have been approved since October 1, 2023. Despite this short lead time, 200 companies have already decided to train apprentices. That is impressive. After all, training apprentices means not only the administrative effort for permits, but also the demanding organization of training. It is very pleasing that the solar apprenticeship is off to such a fast start."

Michèle Ofri, Head of Vocational Marketing at Swissolar, says: "There is a great deal of interest in the new profession. Companies are clearly relieved that there is now a specific apprenticeship for solar installers in the form of a solar apprenticeship. Young people are interested in this exciting profession because it offers them a varied range of manual work in modern companies. Some of the inquiries for taster apprenticeships have exceeded the capacity of the requested companies."

Apprentices look forward to the profession of the future 

Ben Gonda, for example, says about his motivation: "I'm interested in the apprenticeship because solar energy is important for the future. I'm looking forward to being outside and working on the roofs." Gonda will start his solar apprenticeship at Jenni Energietechnik in Oberburg BE in August. Tobias Blatter, future apprentice at Alex Gemperle AG in Hünenberg ZG, is also looking forward to the start of his training: "I'm an enthusiastic craftsman. For me, the solar apprenticeship is a step towards my future career."

Content of the two apprenticeship qualifications

The path to becoming a "solar installer with a federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ)" involves a three-year apprenticeship. The future solar professionals learn everything that goes into building a solar system: assembly, installation, maintenance and dismantling. Solar technicians with a federal vocational certificate (EBA) complete a two-year apprenticeship. Their field of work includes the assembly and dismantling of systems. Those who already have a Federal Vocational Certificate or high school diploma can complete the apprenticeship in a shortened form. This August, 19 people will start a shortened apprenticeship. 

Source: www.swissolar.ch / www.solarlehre.ch 

The willingness to travel is very high across all sections of the population: 92% of all respondents plan to take at least one vacation trip in 2024. Around half are even planning at least three trips this year. This includes all private trips with at least one overnight stay away from home, including visits to friends or relatives. 

"The high willingness to travel underlines the importance of mobility and relaxation in society," explains Comparis mobility expert Adi Kolecic. "Travel is significantly more expensive than before the pandemic. Nevertheless, very few people want to do without vacation trips," Kolecic continues.

Half spend more than 1,000 francs on vacations

The Swiss spend a lot on their vacations: almost half of those surveyed said they would spend more than CHF 1,000 on their longest vacation in 2024. 64% of high-income earners with a gross household income of more than CHF 8,000 will spend more than CHF 1,000 per person on their main vacation, with 21% even spending more than CHF 3,000. By comparison, only 3% of those on low incomes (gross monthly income: up to CHF 4,000) have a travel budget of more than CHF 3,000 for their longest vacation trip.

Majority plan at least three vacation trips this year

51 percent of respondents are planning at least three private trips in 2024. Here too, differences in income shape travel behavior: Around two thirds of people with a high income will take at least three trips this year, but so will a third of people with a low income.

"The high wage level in Switzerland enables most people to travel several times a year. Despite higher prices, travel costs are low in relation to income," says the Comparis expert.

Only very few people spend their main vacation in Switzerland

Only 15 percent of respondents spend their longest private trip at home. Europe is the most popular destination: almost two thirds travel to other European countries for their main vacation. One in five people prefer non-European destinations. Respondents with a high income are more likely to travel to other continents than those with a low income. In contrast, people with a low income are more likely to stay in Switzerland.

"Compared to our neighboring countries, the Swiss spend more of their vacations abroad. On the one hand, this is probably due to the size of the country. On the other hand, the strong franc makes traveling abroad more attractive for Swiss holidaymakers," says Kolecic.

Families prefer summer, older people travel in fall

The most popular time to travel is summer: 54% of the longest private trips take place at this time of year. While families prefer summer (69%), people aged 56 and over tend to travel in the fall (41%). 

As the main travel season, summer tends to be more popular in Romansh-speaking Switzerland than in German-speaking Switzerland.

The higher the income, the longer the vacation

The Comparis analysis shows that: Income has a strong influence on travel behavior. While almost 97% of people from high-income households will travel at least once this year, the figure for low-income households is 83%. 

"Travel remains a question of disposable income. However, the willingness to travel is relatively high even with lower incomes," comments Kolecic.

Almost half of the longest vacation trips (49 percent) last at least 8 nights. There are clear differences in income here: Only just under 34% of people from low-income households spend longer than a week on their main vacation. However, this is the case for 59% of people with a high income. 

Travel is significantly more expensive than before the pandemic

Comparis launched the Leisure Price Index in May 2024. It measures inflation in the areas of leisure and culture as well as hospitality and travel. It shows that prices for air travel have risen by 33.3 percent within five years. Package tours and the hotel industry have also become significantly more expensive.

However, the higher flight prices do not seem to be a deterrent: Almost one in two people travel by plane for their main vacation. Vacation flights are particularly popular with the young and urban population.

Source: www.comparis.ch

Even if digitalization, let alone the introduction of AI in modern manufacturing, is still progressing comparatively slowly, practical examples at the Future Manufacturing Event by Operations1 show how industrial companies can benefit from advanced technologies and intelligent manufacturing strategies today. In the following, I would therefore like to summarize some of the most important findings and derive how digitalization in manufacturing can be further advanced in the future.

How far along is digitalization in manufacturing?

Just a few years ago, Industry 4.0 was the big buzzword. According to a study report by BitKom from 2022, 90 % of the companies surveyed wanted to use Industry 4.0 applications in the future or were planning to do so. However, a recent survey by Staufen on digitalization in 2024 shows that the majority of willing companies are unable to implement these plans due to a lack of human resources (58 %) and unstructured data (53 %). In principle, the prerequisites are in place, as the market now offers many different solutions that provide digital support for a wide range of business areas - even without a great deal of human resources.

Driving the digitalization of store floor processes with innovative solutions 

ProMinent GmbH is a good example of why traditional workflows urgently need to be translated into digital processes, especially when internal personnel resources are limited. Previously, the manufacturer of dosing technology and dosing pumps worked with analog error cards. Christian Braun from ProMinent describes the former process as very tedious. Employees first had to look up error codes on A4 lists before they could even fill in the cards. There was also an accompanying card that had to be attached to the corresponding product. However, not every employee always carried out this task at the same time; some even collected data throughout the week, only to enter it all at once by hand - and therefore often incorrectly. The error cards were then passed on to the next employee, who had to manually enter the results into Excel. Further Excel lists were added during the ongoing process. In other words, a lot of effort that cost employees a lot of time.

ProMinent therefore plans to introduce digital checklists, work instructions and error collection cards for quality management, which will enable everything to be bundled via a networked digital interface. There will only be one associated error card for each error code, and the accompanying card will be replaced by a QR code that the worker simply has to stick on. All the data then comes together in our Connected Worker platform and, thanks to the SAP connection, an evaluation can also be digitally compiled directly.

When introducing digital processes, it is particularly important to get employees on board from the very first step and to demonstrate the future process in an understandable way. Even the initial skepticism of long-established workers quickly gave way to great enthusiasm after the convenient and time-saving scanning process was demonstrated to them.

Standardized processes and cloud solutions for more flexibility

The benefits of digitalization are particularly evident in quality inspection. At Quantum-Systems GmbH, a manufacturer of reconnaissance drones and other products, the move towards a digital future was unavoidable because order processing could no longer be handled with the usual level of quality due to increasing sales volumes and a rapidly growing workforce. In addition, production is subject to special requirements, as each installed part must be clearly traceable by serial number. An act that was previously recorded on paper and laboriously scanned. Digitization has created easy-to-follow work instructions that allow new employees to enter production with a significantly shorter training phase. Overall, digitization made the processes more transparent and traceable at all times, which enabled Quantum-Systems to qualify for the EN9100 certification, which is important in the aerospace sector. Because all instructions are stored digitally in the cloud, adjustments can also be made quickly and across the board. This allows the company to react flexibly to customer requests and changes at any time.

Artificial intelligence as a competitive advantage

In addition to traditional digitalization, intelligent manufacturing, i.e. the use of artificial intelligence, is also playing an increasingly important role. More and more companies are being asked by their management to implement improvements through AI in all departments. The ability of AI to make predictions and derive recommendations for action opens up new potential for manufacturing companies in many areas - from order processing to quality control. Nevertheless, traditional companies in particular are asking themselves how this can be achieved.

It doesn't always have to be a large-scale AI project. One example of how AI can be easily and, above all, usefully integrated into existing process chains is our AI Shopfloor Assistant, which integrates seamlessly into our Connected Worker platform and makes processes even more efficient and automated for companies.

Strengthened for the future of manufacturing

The use of AI on the store floor will solve numerous problems in the future and, thanks to technologies such as machine learning and computer vision, will lead to improved interactions between humans and machines. This increases safety in the workplace and allows employees to focus more on value-adding activities.

The manufacturing industry is at a turning point and those who don't take the plunge now will be left behind sooner or later. That's why Lena Weirauch, CEO & Co-Founder at ai-omatic solutions, recommends simply taking the plunge, because the barriers to entry for the use of generative AI have never been lower. Business decision-makers in manufacturing need to understand how critical the integration of advanced technologies such as AI, cloud solutions and digital transformation tools is for the future of the entire industry. These technologies are no longer distant visions, but concrete tools that are already creating competitive advantages and increasing industrial efficiency. It is noticeable that the fear of new technologies is gradually fading and giving way to a pragmatic and goal-oriented acceptance. This reflects a global trend that is gaining importance across industry boundaries.

About the author: Benjamin Brockmann has been CEO and co-founder of Operations1 since 2017. He studied at the Technical University of Munich from 2014 to 2016 and conducted research together with his co-founders at the Fraunhofer Institute, where he also received the content basis for the foundation through his master's thesis on worker information systems. He gained further experience at KPMG in IT & Finance Consulting and at Arthur D. Little in Strategy, Innovation & Technology. In his spare time, he enjoys using his international private pilot's license to see the world from above and playing tennis. More at www.operations1.com.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/entfesselung-digitaler-potenziale-in-der-modernen-fertigung/

For employers, this means there is a need for action if they want to be and remain attractive to young talent. This is shown by a recent target group survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Hirschtech and Haiilo among 501 employees aged 18 to 29.

Flexible working hours and models are most important for Gen Z

It is also clear that if they were allowed to design their own working environment, the most important thing for almost three quarters (71%) of 18 to 29-year-olds would be flexible working hours and models. For almost half (48%), meaningful and varied work tasks are particularly relevant, followed by a strict separation of private and professional life (32%). This suggests that the majority of young professionals long above all for flexibility in their working day. Companies in which remote working is generally possible should therefore establish hybrid working models in the long term and continuously develop them with employees.

The majority of young professionals consider intergenerational cooperation to be good

The assessment of cross-generational collaboration in the digital workplace is positive. 84% of 18 to 29-year-olds consider it to be good and only 9% consider it to be poor. Collaboration and knowledge sharing between older and younger colleagues therefore appears to be working well in the digital workplace for the most part from the Gen Z perspective.

Women and men rate their working environment differently

While 82% of young women consider flexible working hours and models to be very important, only 62% of men do. It is also clear that while over a third (36%) of male respondents want digital working environments that are tailored to different areas of activity and roles, this figure is only 20% for women. The desire for flexibility in the choice of work location and working hours therefore appears to be even more pronounced among young women than among young men. This suggests that for Gen Z women, working models that suit their respective phase of life, give them freedom and have a positive impact on their well-being are particularly important. Men, on the other hand, seem to be more often in digital or technical professions and have a correspondingly higher need for a digital working environment that suits their activities. 

"Due to demographic change and the labor shortage, one thing is more important than ever for companies today: attracting young talent in particular and being an attractive employer for them in the long term. However, Gen Z employees are still far from finding exactly the digital working environment they want everywhere. It is therefore important for companies to analyze their own work processes and corporate culture in detail, show a willingness to change and, above all, provide employees with a digital workplace that meets their needs, generates added value and saves resources and costs at the same time," says Khaled Thaler, Chief Sales Officer, Hirschtech.

"Any company that wants to reach young employees in particular and retain them in the long term should also offer them a real digital home. In short: Gen Z wants networking, wants interaction, wants to share knowledge and that's exactly why tools like a social intranet are needed. This way, every employee - no matter where they are and what device they are using - The company's employees not only always receive exactly the information that is important to them personally. Each and every individual can also play an active role in the company's activities, for example in virtual communities. In a hybrid working environment, all of this promotes loyalty and a bond with the company," explains Malte Witt, Vice President Sales EMEA, Haiilo.

Source: www.hirschtec.eu