• Link to Facebook
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to X
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Flickr
  • Link to Slideshare
  • Link to Rss this site
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
SBDC Tampa Bay
  • Home
  • Solutions
    • Certifications
      • Business Certifications
      • Minority-Owned Business
      • Woman-Owned Business
      • Veteran-Owned Business
    • Consulting & Training
      • Training
      • Training Calendar
      • Consulting
      • Schedule a Consultant
      • Consultación
    • Business Solutions
      • Growth Acceleration
      • Government Contracting
      • International Trade
      • Starting Your Business
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Student Teams
      • Financing Your Business
  • Resources
    • Business Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Insights
    • Blog
    • Media Inquiries
  • About Us
    • Mission / Vision
    • Consultants
    • Meet the Staff
    • Meet Our Clients
    • Partners / Affiliates
  • Training
    • Training Calendar
    • On-Demand Training
  • Results
    • Success Stories
    • Economic Impact
  • Locations
    • Tampa
    • Hernando County
    • Highlands, Hardee, DeSoto
    • Hillsborough
    • Manatee
    • Pasco County
    • Pinellas County
    • Polk County
    • Sarasota
  • Contact
  • Request a Consultant
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu

Tag Archive for: Manufacturing Businesses

Posts

The Future of Manufacturing and Challenges Ahead

Blog, Featured News

Manufacturing Strategies USF SBDC

by Pablo Arroyo | October 12, 2018

From its origins with the first assembly line by Ford in 1913, American manufacturing has seen a profound evolution in terms of the processes and technologies for transforming raw materials, components and inputs into finished goods.  According to The Rodon Group, the consumer rise in the use of computers encouraged the adoption of computers in industrial manufacturing and the business to business (B2B) space.  The new millennium led to the concept of off-site fabrication, robotics and 3D printing.

Since 2014, the industry has seen the rise of Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Embracing Industry 4.0

Manufacturers have experienced remarkable growth over the past two decades, increasing output and becoming more efficient.  The increasing demand for consumer and industrial products in the U.S. and the global economy means a promising outlook for U.S. manufacturers.  However, success depends on how manufacturers are able to compete and able to adapt to changing conditions.  As described above, the new era of manufacturing or Industry 4.0, means that manufacturing processes are computerized, such as in rapid prototyping, most commonly known as 3D printing.  This evolution goes beyond simple automation and into cyber-physical systems and data exchange in manufacturing technologies known as Big Data and the Internet of Things (IOT).

Advanced manufacturing happens when modern software technology is integrated with the physical manufacturing processes, resulting in front-end automation.  In the traditional model or back-end automation, product design started with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), followed by robotic assembly, vision-based inspection and the processing of aggregated data to create manufacturing efficiencies.

In the new model, or front-end automation, the process starts with an online order, followed by an automated quote analysis that generates an automated toolpathing that is sent to the manufacturing equipment for production.  Although this might sound like it’s out of a science fiction movie, this is happening today in many manufacturing environments in major industrialized countries.  This initiative started in Germany and is expected to result in significant efficiencies in output and make manufacturers even leaner.

According to the Boston Consulting Group, German component manufacturers stand to achieve productivity improvements of 20 to 30 percent and automotive companies can expect increases of 10 to 20 percent.

For the U.S., this implies that a new generation of workers with specialized skills is needed.  Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Roboticon Tampa Bay, a state-wide showcase on youth robotics and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math/Manufacturing) education event, sponsored by the University of South Florida.  Clearly, robotics and games competitions will inspire young students to enter these exciting fields and pursue fulfilling careers with the manufacturers of tomorrow.   Certainly, this event fit perfectly with the recent Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA) – Made in Tampa Bay Expo and National Manufacturing Week 2018, held the first week of October.

U.S. manufacturers need to embrace new trends.  Innovation will be imperative, not only in terms of product development but in terms of process optimization.

Stay tuned for the next article which will provide ideas to prepare manufacturers to deal with these challenges and tips on assistance and available resources.

Author

Pablo Arroyo

Pablo Arroyo, MBA, CGBP, CME

Arroyo, Consultants, International Consultants 2, International Trade, Tampa

NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), Florida SBDC at USF, Tampa

Specialties: International Trade, Strategic Marketing, Startup

Pablo Arroyo has nearly 20 years of experience in business development as an owner and business consultant in the public and private sectors.

He is a NASBITE International Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) and a Certified Marketing Executive (CME). He holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science, concentrating on international agriculture and agriculture economics, from the University of Missouri, and an MBA from the University of South Florida in marketing and international business.

Read more
https://enwqtxc9es4.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PabloArroyo_2025WEB-e1742404210648.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1 1024 1024 admin /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1728920602651.png admin2013-11-29 21:48:402025-05-29 19:27:34Pablo Arroyo, MBA, CGBP, CME
https://enwqtxc9es4.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/manufacturing-strategies-usf-sbdc.png?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1 370 700 admin /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1728920602651.png admin2018-11-27 17:20:372022-01-08 20:34:21The Future of Manufacturing and Challenges Ahead

The Future of Manufacturing and Challenges Ahead

Blog, Featured News

by Pablo Arroyo | October 12, 2018 From its origins with the first assembly line by Ford in 1913, American manufacturing has seen a profound evolution in terms of the processes and technologies for transforming raw materials, components and inputs into finished goods.  According to The Rodon Group, the consumer rise in the use of […]

Read more
https://enwqtxc9es4.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/manufacturing-strategies-usf-sbdc.png?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1 370 700 admin /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1728920602651.png admin2018-11-27 17:20:372022-01-08 20:34:21The Future of Manufacturing and Challenges Ahead

7 Key Growth Strategies for Manufacturers

Blog, Featured News

by Pablo Arroyo | October 9, 2018 Tremendous advances in manufacturing processes and technologies imply that manufacturers need to adapt, innovate and take advantage of challenges and changes. This article will provide key insights and seven strategies for manufacturers to deal with these challenges. #1: Think Strategically To deal with challenges, it is very important […]

Read more
https://enwqtxc9es4.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/manufacturing-strategies-usf-sbdc.png?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1 370 700 admin /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1728920602651.png admin2018-11-27 17:17:572022-01-08 20:35:507 Key Growth Strategies for Manufacturers

Manufacturing Businesses Have Major Impact on Economic Growth

Blog, Featured News

by Pablo Arroyo | September 26, 2018 A manufacturing business, as any other type of business, faces many challenges in today’s competitive marketplace.  In particular, there are unique characteristics of a manufacturing operation that sets it apart from other businesses.  Operations that are involved in the production and distribution of goods typically have a higher […]

Read more
https://enwqtxc9es4.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/manufacturing-strategies-usf-sbdc.png?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1 370 700 admin /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1728920602651.png admin2018-11-27 17:13:102022-01-08 20:37:04Manufacturing Businesses Have Major Impact on Economic Growth

Categories

  • Business Essentials
  • Business Plans
  • Buying a Business
  • Certifications
  • COVID-19
  • Crowdfunding
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Economic Development
  • Finance
  • Government Contracting
  • Growing Your Business
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • International Trade
  • Marketing
  • Press Releases
  • Radio and Podcast
  • Starting a Business
  • Success Stories
  • Success Stories Videos
  • Tech Commercialization/Tech Transfer
  • Veteran
  • Web and Social Media
Subscribe to Newsletter

Contact Us

Regional Office Contact Info

USF CONNECT
3802 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 201
Tampa, FL 33612

813-396-2700

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.

Logos

Business Assistance

USFMuma

State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [§ 288.01, Fla. Stat.]

© Florida SBDC at USF | contact webmaster
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top
  • Get Answers