After the difficult years of the pandemic, the Italian manufacturing industry has accelerated its pace, managing to drive the European recovery. Even in 2022, our country’s manufacturing continued to grow, confirming itself as one of the cornerstones of our production system.
In this article, we asked ourselves what, according to our forecasts, will be the trends that will dominate the sector in 2023. There will be no shortage of challenges this year, but we will certainly be able to find ourselves prepared and make the most of every circumstance.
Increasing use of new technologies
New technologies help businesses work better, save workers time and reduce the risk of errors, contributing to an overall increase in productivity. That’s why many companies are investing in the innovations that technology has to offer, not least the IIoT (a term that refers to the industrial application of the well-known Internet of Things).
IIoT opens the door to many interesting opportunities, such as remote and real-time monitoring of equipment performance or the ability to identify anomalies so that preventive and predictive maintenance can be carried out. With the IIoT, malfunctions are prevented, valuable data is collected at a strategic level, and there is greater control over the processes.
This trend toward innovation does not catch us unprepared. Technological development has always been the foundation of our business, and Vetromeccanica’s R&D department is committed to the study of innovative technological solutions for the continuous improvement of our products.
Problems in the supply chain lead to new strategies
2023 will not be the year when we can say goodbye to the supply problems that have affected the manufacturing industry globally. Rising inflation, material and labor shortages, and geopolitical conflicts in some of the major sourcing regions make disruptions in the supply chain an issue that is still quite relevant today.
The resulting uncertainties lead companies to face this circumstance either by working closely with their suppliers or by diversifying them. In addition, there is a trend for many manufacturers to adopt near-sourcing strategies, which are based on the procurement of raw materials from local suppliers. This is an attempt to reduce dependence on foreign materials.
The importance of corporate social responsibility
In 2023, we will see companies becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact. This will result in the adoption of sustainable solutions that at the same time do not undermine business productivity. Among the various interventions planned, the main ones will most likely concern:
- Better management of waste and its recycling;
- A wiser choice of suppliers;
- The electrification of fleets;
- The offsetting of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
In this respect, we at Vetromeccanica have already taken action, and last year, thanks to our photovoltaic system, we avoided the emission of 506,743.63 kg of CO2. In the future, we count on doing even better to safeguard our planet!
The acquisition and retention of talent becomes fundamental
The basis of any company’s success is the acquisition of new talent in its workforce and the ability to retain them over time. Today, employees are seeking more favorable working conditions and are willing to change jobs several times in order to achieve this goal.
To avoid the loss of long-acquired resources and maintain attractiveness to new ones, companies must listen to workers’ needs, such as flexible schedules, higher wages, opportunities for growth, and, in general, a better working environment. This is the only way to address the current difficulties affecting the labor market.
Vetromeccanica: Smart Moving Solutions for your business
We expect 2023 to be a year of many challenges, and to best address it, you need to have the right partners by your side.
Our products have a high level of technological content and customization, and our engineering department is always ready to study the best solution for you, taking into account your production needs (type of accumulation, type of alignment, production speed, criticality of the containers to be handled, space optimization). Contact us to learn more!