The challenges brought by COVID-19 have created a newfound appreciation for the role of ERP in business continuity

“The challenges brought by COVID-19 have created a newfound appreciation for the role of ERP in business continuity,” noted DelmiaWorks’ Bieszczat. “Many of our customers have been adding modules or seats to manage remote workers and spikes in demand, particularly in medical products, consumer goods, and packaging.”

According to Bieszczat, some of this is “certainly related to COVID-19 social distancing, but the longer-term trend is the attractiveness of jobs in the service sector over those in manufacturing. Manufacturers’ only real choice for attracting and retaining the workforce they need is to pay more and offer more compelling work environments. Digital transformation has two immediate impacts: It automates previously manual tasks and it eliminates some of the more mundane work on the shop floor. The result is lower labor costs and a more interesting or challenging working environment.

Automation Expectations: Discrete Manufacturing | Automation World