Emerging Trends In Facilities Management- Manufacturing Sector

The Evolution Of Facilities Management In The Manufacturing Sector

The Manufacturing Sector has lately faced several pressures related to challenging economic times. The primary objective now for industries in this sector is to look for savings, reduce operating costs, and consider the long-term repercussions of both. This change in the market trend has made Facilities Management a ripe segment that incorporates standardization, consolidation, and bundling of tasks across facilities within the sector.

Growth is slow across the globe considering inter-country trade conflicts, unexpected changes in commodities, and inflated prices of finished product prices. This has led to the enhancement and global acceptance of the total market for facilities management, both in-house and outsourced, which is expected to grow at a massive rate.

Manufacturing companies are outsourcing facilities management to enhance their in-house production equipment maintenance, digital maturity, and enhancement of skills, focusing on continuous cost-cutting, and technology. Several units have developed integrated facilities management to capture a greater market share.

What Do You Mean By Outsourcing Facilities Management 

Outsourcing Facilities Management within the Manufacturing Sector is a leading trend. There is immense potential to upgrade workplace strategies, and technology innovations seeking to reduce costs and improve productivity in facilities management.

Facilities management normally represents 10 – 25% of total indirect spending in manufacturing operations and developments. Companies now have the option to optimize Facilities Management by outsourcing the segment to avoid the effects of the recession, tech disruption, trade conflicts, and rising wages. Outsourcing is a well-established strategy that has introduced a solid influx of vendors, integrated approaches, upgraded technology, and workplace strategy, that hold promise.

Leaders of the manufacturing sector need to consider how emerging trends can reduce facilities management costs and improve productivity. The purpose can be achieved by using the right strategy and instilling the appropriate capabilities to get the most from them. Facilities management focuses on immediate steps to pursue these trends and mobilize their organization.

The benefits of outsourcing facility services include the ability to focus on core business activities and thus, manage risks better. Other benefits include providing more innovative solutions, adhering to compliance measures, and cutting overhead costs.  

Facility managers must familiarize themselves with emerging trends that can help them to improve productivity and reduce costs within the Manufacturing Sector.

Emerging Trends In Facilities Management- 2021 

The following emerging trends that offer abundant opportunities are:

1. Transformation in Visitor Management System

Today’s primary concerns are compliance ad security. Facilities Management within the manufacturing sector can imbibe visitor management technology, organizational security, operational efficiency, and enterprise data richness.

2. Smart Complaint Management System

The services adopt mobile and web applications, for solving the customer’s dissatisfaction issue by classifying the complaint, and immediately directing it to the responsible division. This reduces the time and procedures for complaint handling and ensures customer satisfaction.

3. Technology

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is widely adopted, in facilities management. It is used to deliver measurable operational benefits, introduce wireless devices, gather data for many aspects, and allow a building’s assets to communicate their operational and health status without human intervention.

4. Data Analytics

Facilities managers are deploying systems, where data is translated into work orders or automated actions. These systems are augmented by separate data analytics platforms and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used to understand anomalies and generate predictions.

5. Cloud-based Data Collection

Facilities Management can use cloud-based data collection services with access to data and information 24/7 from any corner of the world. This simplifies data collection, gathers and store the data, makes it available for productive use, mitigates data loss risk, and introduces new elegance and simplicity.

6. Automated Asset Maintenance

Facility maintenance software, saves time, effort, and finances of the internal departments while searching for information on the assets that need to be serviced in a facility.

7. Artificial Intelligence

Data-driven building operations can save time & cost and deliver better outcomes. Some of the important functions dominated by AI are energy monitoring, optimum sequencing, condition-based maintenance, energy savings, HVAC optimization, measurement and verification, prediction cleaning demands, and preparing a schedule for service providers.

8. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is a technology that overlays virtual objects on real-world scenes in real-time and transforms the human experience of facilities.

9. Automated Cleaning Solutions

Facilities Management of manufacturing companies has hugely enhanced the use of automated cleaners, scrubbers, dryers used in a wide range of environments, and remote management of automated machines which have now become an invaluable feature of automated cleaning.

10. Remote Monitoring

COVID-19 has massively promoted remote work which makes remote property and asset monitoring some of the biggest drivers in facilities management.

11. Digital Workplace Services

Digital workplace services have become a mandate for a modern manufacturing company’s office environment. Some of these services are powered by sensors, digital signage, analytics, and apps and include Desk availability, meeting room availability, feedback panels, office temperature control, canteen occupancy, service requests, etc. Post-pandemic digital workplace services have become essential for health and safety using mature sensor technology that mitigates one-to-one interaction and makes the workplaces safe, attractive, and interactive.

12. Technologies in Parking & Traffic Management

Mobile apps provide real-time information about the availability and pricing of Parking slots. Updated technologies improve access control and guide drivers to find parking and make it an environmentally sustainable initiative by reducing fuel consumption and fuel emissions.

13. Robot Automation

Robotic automation is still a new concept and is not largely applied, but it is great for tasks like cleaning and security.

14. Integrated Value and Related Services

A single Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) company offers a team of outsourcing experts and a supporting network of suppliers that provide a massive range of services related to employees, communication, decision-making, and facilities management thus simplifying day-to-day operations.

15. Workplace Strategy

Workplace strategies are intended to add value to the organization by improving employee engagement and retention. This can be the provision of lifestyle amenities, modular workspaces, wellness-oriented designs, ergonomic furniture, and holistic sound management solutions. While these trends may increase maintenance costs, but eventually lead to projected gains in employee productivity.

How to Enhance Facilities Management:

1. Elevate facilities management to a C-level priority.

Facilities Management, with a stringent focus on COO/CFO engagement, can be a goldmine of savings. The structures must assess the organizational capabilities and maturity to support digital technologies and manage vendors.

2. Establish a cross-functional team.

Facilities Management must maintain a cross-functional engagement and collaboration between procurement and operations within the manufacturing sector to create sustainable impact.

3. Strive for investment in emerging trends.

As discussed above, it has become substantial for manufacturing companies to invest in emerging technologies by conducting controlled pilots.

4. Collaborate with IFMs.

A company can partner with reliable IFM suppliers after establishing a robust governance mechanism to develop trust with suppliers. Regular auditing can ensure companies collaborate on specification standardization and CMMS – Computerized Maintenance Management System technology.

5. Design an effective road map.

A comprehensive strategy should be created by manufacturing companies to incorporate all facilities management trends in the long run. An initiative should be taken to prioritize initiatives, establish a regular strategy review process to refine their vision.

Conclusion

It is fundamental for manufacturing companies to stay abreast of the emerging trends and eliminate any chances of disruption within the Facilities Management segment. Organizations that felicitate and track emerging trends thoroughly and invest in the appropriate organizational capabilities. will be well placed to enhance its impact and reduce costs

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