Podcasts
PODCAST: How COVID-19 is putting pressure on digital transformation timelines

So far, Machine Language: The Podcast has explored implementing automation and strengthening IT systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What about the overarching digital systems that bring those technologies together? What work do small- and medium-sized manufacturers need to do to make their technology more resilient in the face of crisis – whether that’s a second wave of the coronavirus or something else entirely?

In our latest episode, we interview Jonathan Gross, managing director of Pemeco Consulting, a firm that specializes in enterprise technology integration.

We dive into the concept of digital transformation, what it means, and how manufacturers can plan for new technology adoption – including how to pay for it.

“What COVID-19 is doing here is it’s underscoring a need for speed, a need for agility,” Gross says in the episode. “How quickly can you shift your supply chain to production? How quickly can you shift your operations so that you can maintain throughput with a skeleton workforce? Can you make major decisions remotely?

“Before COVID-19, these areas were all important to a company. But now, they’re mission-critical.”

Listen to the full episode here:

Every month, Machine Language covers the latest technologies and trends in industrial automation for the manufacturing market through interviews with industry experts. Topics are related to automation and machinery, including safety integration, robotics and sensors, motion control, software solutions, Industry 4.0 and the IIoT, cybersecurity and networking, and artificial intelligence.

Find the podcast on MA’s Podcasts page or on Annex Business Media’s site, as well as on Annex Business Media’s SoundCloud and iTunes accounts.

Missed our last episodes? We talked to Andre Vittorio, president and founder of Idealogical Systems Inc. about cybersecurity for manufacturers in the wake of COVID-19. And in our premiere episode, we discussed what’s been happening in Ontario’s manufacturing sector as a result of the pandemic with Shelley Fellows, chair of Automate Canada, and Mike Bilton, chair of the Canadian Association of Mold Makers.

If you have an idea for a Machine Language podcast episode, email host Kristina Urquhart at kurquhart@annexbusinessmedia.com.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Six S Partners

This episode of Machine Language: A Manufacturing AUTOMATION podcast is brought to you by Six S Partners, a Certified Platinum Epicor partner with customers and service staff spanning North America. Six S is focused on helping its clients adopt ERP best practices and transform to an optimized operational business model that will improve overall efficiencies and profitability. For more information, visit www.sixspartners.com.