Manufacturing And Warehousing IT News For VARs — October 28, 2014
By Trisha Leon, contributing writer
In the news, Q3 2014 continued to show strong mergers and acquisition activity (M&A). Also, an article provides advice on what to consider before adding 3D printing to your process, and a webcast focuses on regulatory requirements, supply chain complexity, and meeting customer demands.
Industrial Sector Continues To Have Strong M&A Activity
Industrial Distribution reports that the third quarter of 2014 showed continuing strong merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the industrial manufacturing sector, this according to Assembling Value, a quarterly analysis of global merger activity conducted by PwCUS. The $102.7 in proceeds from the first nine months of 2014 alone is more than annual totals for any of the past ten years. Bobby Bono, U.S. industrial manufacturing leader for PwC says, “As we enter the final quarter of the year, we expect the healthy level of activity to continue as mixed global economic results and an uncertain outlook steer manufacturing executives toward further portfolio reshuffling, merging of horizontal and complementary businesses and divestitures.” As they continue to close deals, industrial manufacturers will also seek to grow their businesses through technologies like 3D printing and robotics in an effort to improve efficiency and quality.
5 Things To Consider Before Adding Additive Manufacturing
The freedom in design offered by 3D printing has made it an increasingly attractive option for many manufacturers. Bill Camuel, in the Industry Week article, “3D Printing Design: Five Tips To Achieve Additive Manufacturability,” highlights five steps manufacturers should take before implementing 3D printing within their business. Camuel writes, “As with any disruptive technology, we do not yet fully know all of the possibilities of additive manufacturing,” adding, “But knowledge is power and understanding how to apply it to designs will maximize its benefits.” VARs can make clients aware of important steps in the additive manufacturing process and provided solutions that make the transition to additive manufacturing a smooth one.
Webinar Focuses On Regulatory Requirements, Customer Demand
Manufacturing.net features a webcast presented by LNS Research and which takes place October 28, 2014, which explains how manufacturers can address pressures from regulatory requirements, supply chain complexity, customer demand, and beyond; interested parties can reserve their spot here. Next generation approaches to manufacturing operations management software will be discussed along with strategies for maximizing profit through new technologies like the Internet of Things, Big Data, and cloud computing. Though manufacturing is a more varied and complex sector than ever, ensuring end-to-end connectivity between the real and digital worlds is essential for manufacturers to maintain communication and efficiency throughout the supply chain and, ultimately, meet customer demand effectively.
Manufacturing And Warehousing IT Talking Points
An article in InfoWorld, “Cyber espionage group launches sophisticated phishing attacks against Outlook Web App users,” reports that “A cyberespionage group has been using advanced spear-phishing techniques to steal email log-in credentials from the employees of military agencies, embassies, defense contractors and international media outlets that use Office 365's Outlook Web App.” The group has used a variety of attacks, including data-stealing malware. This group and others like it use clever phishing strategies which are often difficult if not impossible to detect, so in an effort to combat criminal cyber activity, InfoWorlds’ experts have created a guide for staying secure on the internet, which is available for download in PDF format here.
As more corporations join the cloud, doubts over security continually crop up, but despite major data breeches at large retailers like Target and Home Depot, many business leaders find joining the cloud a necessary risk. Tom Gillis, former Cisco executive, now runs Bracket Computing, which has unveiled new software “designed to make public clouds secure enough for sensitive corporate data,” this according to Business Week. Analysts suggest a mass move to the public cloud could take years, if not decades, but Gillis is determined to make it work. He says, that “This is a big project,” and adds that the company has enough capital to stay in business for four more years. In Gillis’s words, “We’re either going to put a man on the moon, or we’re going to die trying.”
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Manufacturing And Warehousing Tech Center.