Companies need reliable, high-quality production, motivated employees and constant innovation. "New developments and technical advances are constantly changing the world of work, and companies have to keep up," says Rainer Schulz, Managing Director of Sysmat in Mainhausen. The plant modernization expert lists five tips for companies to meet the changing demands of the market.

Status quo?
Before a company invests in digitalization, an analysis of the company's current structures should be carried out. How is the company positioned on the market, where are the risks and opportunities? Is there a need for change or optimization in certain areas?

After establishing the status quo, it is also advisable to list goals and realistic milestones for digitalization processes. All business processes and employees should be involved in the planned changes. This creates a basis on which measures can be successfully implemented. It is also worth taking a look beyond the flow of goods: getting employees on board with digitalization and redesigning workplaces and processes together maintains employee satisfaction and ensures greater productivity.

Rainer Schulz, Managing Director of Sysmat. (Image: Sysmat)

Thinking outside the box
Bringing more creativity into everyday working life not only creates space for new ideas, but also motivation. From employee management to production and marketing - encouraging employees to be more creative and creating an appropriate working environment provides new food for thought and enables innovation. Involving employees in brainstorming also has several advantages: The pool of ideas increases and employee loyalty to the company is strengthened. "Regularly scrutinizing entire production processes uncovers levers and reveals opportunities for improvement," says Schulz. Intelligent systems help to increase efficiency and check processes, for example by providing a graphical representation of the material flow.

Be a trendsetter
There is tradition in change - many companies that stick to tried and tested systems run the risk of failure. Thanks to advancing digitalization, it is possible to access data anywhere and at any time. Comprehensive information about companies or complicated issues is available as a matter of course.

By not only informing themselves about current innovations, but also questioning them, companies gain an advantage on the labor market. In order to remain competitive and not be overtaken by the competition, companies should not miss out on trends. Nevertheless, not every technology is suitable for every industry or every company. "An efficient improvement should therefore be accompanied by a thorough analysis of possible optimizations in order to avoid unnecessary acquisition costs," advises Schulz. However, confronting the competition and new technologies also holds potential for companies. It puts internal processes to the test and helps to find ideas for improvements or changes.

Using the digitalization stream
It is not only the implementation of new trends or satisfied employees that ensure competitiveness. "Reliable production is also a priority. Faulty processes mean losses for companies," says Schulz. Modernizing production processes therefore increases efficiency and reduces costs.

The Matcontrol graphics graphical material flow computer from Sysmat provides operators with an overview of internal process sequences. It links systems related to the extraction, processing and distribution of products. The graphical representation of the internal material flow makes it possible to identify any errors or potential for improvement at an early stage. A material flow computer acts as a link between the plant and the ERP system, providing an overview of all processes within a warehouse.

After optimization is before optimization
Improving and developing processes is an ongoing process. It is advisable to regularly review the status quo and look for positive opportunities for change. In addition, a balance sheet should be drawn up after each adjustment in order to guarantee effective change management for the future. The primary goal of the measures is to increase competitiveness, employee satisfaction and more efficient production processes.

The ever-increasing process of optimizing business processes requires flexibility on the part of the players as well as the systems and software. Above all, systems that can be integrated seamlessly and function independently of manufacturers are ideal for long-term change management planning.

Lisa Weigelt/as