Team PA offers manufacturers free online technology tool

A new online tool for manufacturers looking to integrate advanced technologies into their operations is now available. 

Team Pennsylvania Foundation, a non-profit committed to accelerating Pennsylvania’s long-term economic future, said it has launched the ‘Factory of the Future‘, a free online resource about advanced manufacturing technologies such as big data and analytics, cybersecurity and robotics.  

The resource also connects manufacturers with local organizations who can support them through the process, the foundation said. 

 “Manufacturing is one of Pennsylvania’s core sectors, and it has been for more than 250 years,” said Abby Smith, president and CEO of Team PA. “Yet, manufacturing is changing rapidly, and many small- and mid-sized companies are struggling to keep pace and stay competitive.  

“For the sector to grow and thrive in the commonwealth for the next 250 years, we need to accelerate adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.” she said. “The ‘Factory of the Future’ resource is designed to help manufacturers quickly connect to supports for their next steps, whatever their starting place.” 

Manufacturing makes up roughly 14% of the state’s GDP, Team PA said, adding the state consistently ranks as one of the top ten U.S. states for manufacturing.  

However, more than 50% of Pennsylvania manufacturers report struggling with the complexity of integration as they work to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies, the organization said. In addition, 12 to 15% of Pennsylvania manufacturers are not currently automating nor planning to, and 97% have fewer than 250 employees.  

The ‘Factory of the Future’ resource was created with Team PA’s Manufacturing Competitiveness Collaborative, a network of more than 100 organizations. Participants include leaders from manufacturing companies, public agencies, organized labor, non-profits, and university partners, Team PA said. 

 “Integrating new technology can be daunting for manufacturers, and one of the hardest parts is finding time to research, plan, and sort through complex details, given everything else on leadership teams’ plates,” said Ronn Cort, president of Dunmore, a global manufacturer of coated and laminated films and foils with operations in Bristol. “In the Manufacturing Competitiveness Collaborative, which includes manufacturers at various stages of advanced technology adoption, we asked ourselves, ‘what would help my own company move forward more quickly today’? What do I wish I had known earlier in my process?’  The ‘Factory of the Future’ resource grew out of those conversations.” 

‘Factory of the Future’ – also known as Industry 4.0 – refers to a set of advanced technologies and processes occurring globally in manufacturing, Team PA said. Industry 4.0 focuses on integrating manufacturing operations and information technology (or digitization), to help companies track, adapt, and improve operations in real-time, and further automate recurring tasks, using sensors, data analytics, and robotics, to name a few. 

 The ‘Factory of the Future’ resource outlines common steps companies take to integrate advanced manufacturing technologies and elevates local resources across Pennsylvania, company case studies, and industry tools related to each step, the organization said. 

“Every manufacturer’s journey with advanced manufacturing technologies is unique, but there’s no need to start from scratch. Our 13 years of experience at Ledge Inc. show that by following proven steps and leveraging resources like ‘Factory of the Future,’ companies can achieve significant gains in productivity, competitiveness, and quality,” says Adam Marsh, president of Spring Grove-based Ledge Inc., a manufacturing consulting firm dedicated to quality and production optimization. 

Over the next several months, Team PA will continue to add company success stories to the site and will identify areas where additional support is needed to accelerate technology adoption.