Despite an unsteady economic climate, the manufacturing industry has continued to exceed expectations and showcase favorable trends for 2023.

According to a monthly survey, India's manufacturing sector activity rose to a 13-month high in December, supported by healthy inflows of new business and strong demand conditions.

Let us look at what we can expect in manufacturing trends 2023

IIoT still reigns supreme

When we looked at trends back in 2022, IIoT and the digitisation of the manufacturing industry emerged as a major trending theme. 2023 will not be very different, as we move into the future of manufacturing with Industry 4.0

It is said that nearly 70% of light-duty trucks and cars will be connected to the internet.

And according to forecasts, the market share for connected automobiles will represent 39% of all 5G IoT endpoints

The spotlight shines on Procurement as a Service

As technology like IIoT, AI etc matures, it also becomes more affordable and accessible, with reliance on digitization to to execute everything, including sourcing & procurement tasks.

Thus making procurement as a service popular throughout the globe.

The global procurement as a service market size was estimated at USD 6.15 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 6.49 billion in 2023.

Predictive maintenance gets smarter & more efficient

Predictive maintenance evolves in a new direction in manufacturing trends  2023.

Manufacturers are now moving from predictive maintenance towards predictive resolution.

• Predictive maintenance uses data analysis to identify anomalies in an equipment's performance,
• Predictive resolution takes this concept one step further by offering insights on exactly how to resolve those issues with greater certainty thus reducing frequent interventions.

Better Production Efficiency using Digital Twins

A digital twin is a replica of an equipment or a particular component in appearance & functionality, that is rendered within a virtual environment.

Market Strategies, Challenges & Future Outlook, 2019-2023 forecasts that Digital Twin revenues from manufacturing will reach an estimated $4.5 billion in 2023, up from $1.4 billion in 2019.

Employees Seek More Favorable Working Conditions

Given the current state of the market, Manufacturing employees have more leverage thanks to technology, now more than ever before. 

From flexible hours to advancement opportunities, workplace wellness programs, we’re seeing manufacturers implement new programs & policies to change how they manage operations.

Health & safety, of course remains a top priority for manufacturers everywhere. 

To learn more about the trends in the manufacturing industry, head over to our LinkedIn page

Double food production by 2050 for population, income growth. Focus on sustainable, cost-effective tech for environmental protection and sustainability.

India has long been associated with agriculture and farming & the agricultural industry continues to contribute significantly to our country’s GDP (20.19% in 2022).

In fact, agriculture is a way of life & livelihood for most Indians & our history is deeply intertwined with celebrating agriculture & harvesting.

As the first of the harvest festivals roll in, we briefly look at its origin.

A brief history of harvest festivals in India:

Harvest festivals in India are celebrated to mark the end of a crop cycle and the beginning of a new one. They are a way to honour the hardworking farmers for their labour and dedication to the land.

The harvest festivals take place around the time of the main harvest of a particular region based on their climate and crops starting in Jan with Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayana, Lohri, and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu, Holi in February–March, Baisakhi in April and Onam in August–September.

There are numerous other harvest festivals in India like Basant Panchami, Bhogali Bihu, Wangala, Nuakhai, Gudi Padwa, Nabanna, Ugadi etc with each region celebrating in its own unique way.

For farmers in India, these festivals provide an opportunity for them to sell their produce and make a profit.

Harvest festivals celebrated in India, but sustainable sourcing still a concern.

Embracing Sustainability in Supply Chain Management:

Sustainable sourcing in India through organic farming, integrated pest management, and resource conservation.

But, these practices of sustainable sourcing have been tough to scale up, especially since India has a large population. 

2022 was an especially challenging year for the global food system that exposed the structural weaknesses when faced with challenges such as extreme weather conditions, supply-chain disruptions, geo-political tensions, international conflicts and food wastage in the face of the pandemic COVID-19.

India ranked 107th in GHI 2022, highlighting urgency for sustainability solutions to hunger and food security.

Before we proceed, let us look at the current challenges in terms of sustainable sourcing & sustainable agricultural practices, starting with agricultural supply chain disruptions: 

Agricultural supply-chain disruptions refer to the interruptions in the flow of agricultural goods from the producer to the consumer. Disruptions caused by natural disasters, transportation, labor shortages, and consumer demand changes.

Other major causes of agricultural supply-chain disruptions in India include

• Lack of proper infrastructure and logistics. Rural areas in India still lack proper roads, storage facilities, and transportation networks, which can make it difficult to get products to market leading to delays resulting in spoilage of produce. 
• Lack of coordination and communication between different actors in the supply chain. This can lead to mismatches between supply and demand, resulting in a surplus or shortage of products. Additionally, the lack of transparency and traceability in the supply chain can make it difficult to identify and address problems.
• Pollution and extreme weather events like droughts, floods and landslides can damage crops thus affecting transportation and logistics, ultimately resulting in supply-chain disruptions.

To understand the landscape of sustainability in farming better, we spoke to Ajit Narra, founder of  FarmChakra, India's first crop investment product for sustainable farming.

Q1: What are the top polluters or distorters in the Indian agricultural sector in 2023?

A1: Indian agriculture contributes to pollution and degradation with major sources of pollution. Some of the top polluters or distorters include

• Soil degradation due to excessive fertilizer use and not practising regenerative farming to conserve the soil i.e. Monoculture cropping, the practice of growing a single crop year after year in the same field can lead to soil degradation and reduced crop yields.
• Crop stubble burning: A practice in which farmers burn the leftover straw and stalks of crops (stubble) after harvest. This practice is common in states across India. It has a number of negative impacts such as
  • Air pollution
  • Soil degradation
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Reduced soil moisture
  • Reduced soil fertility etc. 
• Post-harvest loss due to lack of common processing facilities: Some of the key ways that lack of processing facilities can lead to post-harvest loss include:
  • Lack of storage facilities: Many farmers in India lack access to proper storage facilities, which can lead to the spoilage of crops due to exposure to heat and moisture.
  • Lack of transportation infrastructure: Poor transportation infrastructure can make it difficult for farmers to get their produce to market in a timely manner, leading to spoilage and loss.
  • Lack of value-added processing: Many farmers in India lack access to value-added processing facilities such as canning, freezing, or packaging, which can lead to reduced income from their crops.

Polluters and distorters harm the environment, addressing needed for sustainable ag in India.

Q2: What are the top scalable solutions to ensure sustainability? 

A2: The top scalable solutions to ensure sustainable farming practices include: 

1. Provision of post-harvest management solutions: Mitigation of wastage, and ensuring the safety of the produce until the last-mile delivery, has become important and Agritech is at an evolution stage
2. Risk management solutions for farmers

FarmChakra provides a unique solution for risk management

3. Crop stubble value creation: What needs to go right for us to drop burning from 30% to 10%?

• Suitable equipment: We need equipment to lift bales that can work at scale without labour involvement. We also need seeders that work in clayey soils etc. 
• Expertise in growing a variety of crops: As our expertise in growing increases we will be able to target crops that have suitable planting windows that buy us time to deal with the stubble. No market linkage challenges for our current scale.
• No last-minute weather surprises: Field moisture conditions need to be carefully monitored before harvest to ensure that there is enough moisture for the decomposers to work properly.

Q3: What is Farmchakra’s vision & how do you plan to scale in the future? 

A3:By taking a planet-first and people-focused approach, Farm Chakra is advancing modern which supports sustainable farming for a better world. The company is constructing a portfolio of farms that follow environmentally friendly practices and produce crops without any residual substances

Sustainable farming also for efficient, high-quality produce. 

Enhancing yields with science and farming experience

Farming is rewarding – mentally, spiritually, and financially. But it is not without risk: it requires serious investment, crisp execution, and systematic experimentation. We are confident that over time we will be able to create value for our crop investors and the community.

We appreciate the insights shared by Ajith & the team at FarmChakra - learn more about them by visiting: https://farmchakra.com

All in all, In 2023 we can expect some significant movement in agri-food industry trends:

• Agri-financing and sustainability investments will accelerate
• There will be a huge and rapid shift towards digitization of agriculture for maximising the visibility, sustainability & transparency of food systems 
• Improved access to resources for sustainable agriculture in India.
• Better coordination and communication between different players in the supply chain.
• Nations will build self-reliance and self-sufficiency in food production.

To learn more about the trends in the manufacturing industry, head over to our  website 

 

Excited for new year and milestones at Venwiz, grateful for fantastic achievements as a team in 2022.

Beginning with

1. The assurance showed by 10 marquee enterprises, which promises to take us to greater heights as a capex & services procurement platform. We would like to specifically recognise the efforts by Shubham in this endeavour; followed by Prasad's team for strengthening these engagements.

2. In 2022 we focused on streamlining the pace of our product and tech dev with a high focus on building a platform packed with features to enable a seamless procurement experience for our manufacturing clients & vendors (customers).

We proceed with a clear vision of what’s going to come in 2023.
A huge shoutout to Shrikant & Junaid’s teams whose dedication & focus on high output made this happen.

3. Next, our pace of vendor addition/qualification has reached ~3000/m. With a significant capability to tap onto, in 2023. Led by Rakesh­, Philip with the rest of the team, who have been phenomenal in this.

Coming to the rest of our achievements, looking back, 2022 has been an action-packed year for us.

4. We grew from a small team of 10 to 15 to now 35+ each bringing an immense amount of potential. Our teams continue to value & represent the culture we’re building at Venwiz, from various locations across the country!

5. From org workshops to vendor engagement sessions our strategy & marketing teams led by Siddhant & Mehul have been driving engagement & have big plans for 2023.

6. Our emphasis on OKRs for performance management has only eased our way of working; many thanks to the perseverance shown by Siddhant & Abhimanyu in driving this.

We would like to thank the whole team at Venwiz for a wonderful 2022!
Special mention to the team at Bizcraft(Prashant & team) for their continued support.
Last but not the least grateful to Barath, Sameer and Accel/Nexus Venture Partners teams for their continued belief in Venwiz and support as and when needed.

Sandesh & Rajesh take this as an opportunity to thank everyone & look forward to a successful year ahead!

Visit our website here!

 

Index:

1. What is the electrical panel?
2. What are the different types of electrical panels?
3. Where are electrical panels used?
4. Characteristics of electrical panels

What is the electrical panel?

The electrical panel is an enclosure that accommodates the main electrical circuitry for a building. It typically contains circuit breakers, fuses, and wiring for the entire electrical system. It is also often referred to as the breaker box, breaker panel, electrical control panel or service panel.

An electrical panel comprises two main categories

1. Panel Structure
2. Electrical component

What is electrical panel structure?

The electrical panel structure consists of a box-like structure that accommodates and protects the circuit breakers. Circuit breakers control the electrical system for a building. These electrical panels are usually installed in areas like a garage, basement, or utility closet, and are designed to keep people and property safe from potential electrical hazards.

Inside the panel are several circuit breakers that can be switched off or on to supply or cut off the power to different parts of the building. In larger buildings, multiple electrical panels may be connected together in an electrical network.

What is electrical component?

An electrical component is an object that is used as part of the electrical system. Examples of electrical components include switches, circuit breakers, relays, resistors, capacitors, transistors, transformers, motors, and more. These components are connected together, along with an electrical power source, in order to create an electrical circuit. The components all interact together in order to produce the desired result, whether it is to power a light, activate a motor, or control a device.

Electrical components at a glance.

• Main circuit breaker
• Surge arrestors
• Transformer
• Terminal blocks
• Programmable logic control
• Relays and contractors
• Circuit breakers
• Human-machine interface

What are the different types of electrical panel?

There are several types of electrical panels, including

• Main breaker,
• Subpanel, and
• Tandem circuit breaker panels.

Main breaker panels are the most common type of electrical panels, and they accommodate all of the main electrical circuitry for the buildings.

Subpanels are installed as additional circuits or aid in increasing the circuit capacity of an existing electrical panel.

Tandem circuit breaker panels are generally used in small-space applications, as they allow two circuits to be controlled via a single circuit breaker.

What is a circuit breaker?

A circuit breaker is an automatically managed & operated electrical switch that is designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuits. Its basic function is to detect a faulty condition, such as an overload or short circuit and then it acts to interrupt the current flow. Circuit breakers come in various sizes and can be manually or automatically operated.

Where are electrical-panel used?

Electrical panels are used in:

• Homes,
• Businesses,
• Factories; and a variety of other settings.

In residential settings, the panel is typically installed in a garage, basement, or utility closet.

In commercial settings, they may be installed in a dedicated electrical room or equipment shed.

Electrical panels are also found in factories, where they are used to control large, complex electrical systems.

Electrical panels use in factories

In factories, electrical panels are used to control a variety of machines and processes. They supply the power required to operate motors, pumps, and other equipment, and they provide the safety features needed to protect personnel and property. Electrical panels are also used to control lighting, heating and cooling systems, and other utilities.

Characteristics:

The primary characteristics of electrical panels are their size, enclosure material, and the number of circuit breakers.

1. Size: The size of the panel depends on the amount of current it needs to handle and the number of circuits it needs to manage.
2. Enclosure material: The enclosure material can be metal or plastic, and it must be rated to provide protection against electrocution, shock, and fire.
3. The number of circuit breakers: Number of circuit breakers in the panel depends on the electrical system's needs; more circuit breakers may be added if more power is needed.

The panel also includes other features, such as the main disconnect switch and grounding busbar.

To learn more, visit our resource centre on the website for the complete rundown on all your electrical panel systems and features.

[caption id="attachment_723" align="alignnone" width="471"] Legalities in Vendor Contract vs SLA vs NDA[/caption]

To stay updated on more manufacturing trends, follow our LinkedIn page and visit our resource center.

Women in Manufacturing

Women make for only 12% of India’s manufacturing sector, which employs nearly 27.3 million people, suggests research by GE and Avtar. While the number of women employed is low, what we don’t see are the huge strides that the 12% are making, by carving out a niche for themselves and paving the path for future generations to take on roles that exist within a traditionally male-dominated society.

We would like to take this opportunity to commend the extraordinary role women play in their communities and their workplaces. That is why, on International Women's Day we are sharing this feature on the "Women in Manufacturing", who broke the stereotype of it being a male-dominated field. We look forward to sharing their stories with hopes to inspire many more.

For this feature, we spoke to three women in leadership roles from across the industry - covering their journey into the world of manufacturing, their current work as well as their lives beyond work.

[caption id="attachment_888" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Venwiz in discussion with women in manufacturing[/caption]

Q1:  How did you commence your career in the manufacturing industry? Was it intentional or serendipitous?

Neetu: For me the choice was intentional, having pursued a degree in chemical engineering, I had a range of options to choose from in the manufacturing industry. 

Sravani: I would say it was a bit of both. It definitely wasn’t sheer luck but was more of a conscious decision. The serendipitous part was joining ITC straight out of campus recruitments. I was obviously keen on a job as an engineer but I was sure I wanted to get into core engineering rather than software. This was back in 2005 and I have continued with the organization to date. 

I started off at Hyderabad in one of the HQs with projects - detailed engineering & procurement, then moved to a manufacturing unit in Bhadrachalam without a second thought, focusing on getting more on-field exposure. This is one of India’s largest single-location pulp & paper industries and I wanted to be here. Thanks to this decision and being an instrumentation engineer (which has a lot of scope) I am now experienced in power plants, paper making, and automation.

I was in operations & maintenance for a couple of years and now I’m taking care of digital transformation for the entire division - at all core manufacturing units as a member of Industry 4.0 centre of excellence. 

Divjyot: Around 22 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be the first girl to crack IIT, from my city, I was determined to break the gender bias. My school was an only girls convent school, and this was a record moment for them too. Suddenly a lot of girls were being redirected to me for career counselling.  I mentored women in engineering and encouraged them to pursue professional studies and work in traditionally male-dominated sectors, following my own journey in the core sector after completing my engineering degree.. This translated to many firsts, such as first shop floor manager for the division, first operations head etc. While I was nervous in some ways, I also knew that I could do it. My parents always believed in me, and there were many girls looking up to me, which made me keep at it and flourish in the sector. 

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Q2. Did you face any challenges, since manufacturing is still considered a male-dominated field? How did you tackle them?

Neetu: Yes, there were definitely some challenges such as - gender-based pay gaps, fewer opportunities to advance, lack of support when it came to juggling work and family responsibilities etc. 

Despite such challenges, I managed to persevere, through self-motivation and moving forward towards accepting things as they flowed and opportunities that came my way. 

To tackle sexism, one needs to learn to not focus on what people say behind your backs. Instead, surround yourself with people who understand you and support you. Learn to love yourself, regardless of the expectations society has from you. 

Sravani: I agree, manufacturing is still a male-dominated industry. The ratio is still skewed, but I have also seen ITC recruit a lot of women over the years. Back when I got recruited I  was the only female engineer in the entire batch and now I see the intake of women has increased.

Challenge: Many manufacturing units not in cities, tough for anyone, particularly women, to make the shift

I have observed that entry-level positions see a lot of women join, then it gets lesser towards mid-management levels. This has a lot to do with their families as well

To tackle it I would say, there has to be a mindset shift where women don’t see these hurdles but as challenges to take on. They need to help their families understand the importance of these roles more and garner their support. 

Divjyot: Of course, the challenges were immense - such as walking out of the factory to even use a ladies' washroom, challenging men who would get their egos hurt if they had to take instructions from a female manager, getting your hands dirty on the machines - when you’ve never even washed utensils in your mother's kitchen…The job is physically demanding too, working in factories right in the middle of nowhere etc. 

I was always in a situation, with very few women in the room and many a time you will have to be your own mentor, as there may not be role models around for you to look up to. 

But I would like to highlight three things:

• Believe in yourself. There will be times, you will feel you can't do it. But if you believe in yourself, others will believe in you. This is not only true for this industry but any profession or stage of life. 
• Always leave on a high, because you are setting an example for the others behind you. Now, you can only do two things - either you deepen the bias or you can break the bias. The choice is yours. 
• Eventually, it boils down to common sense, being reasonable with your team, ability to learn and pick up, and doing what is right for the organisation. 

These are the guiding tenets. 

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Q3. What is your current profile & what does a typical day at your current job look like?

Neetu: I’m currently a deputy general manager - digitization & services in procurement at Hikal Ltd.

16+ years experience in Global Sourcing, Procurement, Cost modeling, Digitization, Services, Supply Chain Management across multiple industries

I’m spearheading the organisation's digitization and services in Supply Chain management. 

I’m responsible for identifying key performance indicators to derive the best value from vendors for business and customers and ensure the alignment happens.

Sravani: I’ve been with ITC since 2005, having spent 12 years as an Instrumentation Engineer. Today I handle automation at all levels-from field instrumentation to controllers and servers, building logic etc Currently I’m leading the integration of all automation across divisions. 

My day-to-day responsibilities include caring for my family and heading to the factory for work. My in-laws live with me and over the years that has been a huge help. We all contribute to the household chores equally including my son and husband. We also live about 5 mins from the factory where both my husband and I work. My office environment is collaborative and we deal with all departments and units including those that are not directly manufacturing.

Coordinates with vendors on new tech and trains internal teams for tech activities. Interacts with all as partners and values teamwork.. There is no hierarchy. 

Divyjyot: 14 years in manufacturing honed start-up skills and learning acumen with focus on factory setup, product dev, commercialization, sales, and channel management

Started www.toughlikeamom.com after 14 successful years in a corporation. Focuses on overall wellness for women and men through various programs for physical and mental well-being. My current job is a mix of adventure, creativity, learning and rigour. Right now I am at an early stage of my venture and there are more questions at the moment than answers. My current phase would be best described as a hustler. Constantly talking to startups, mentoring, understanding ideas, helping, and connecting people for company leverage.

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Q4. What is your biggest professional achievement/most exciting project you have worked on so far? 

Neetu: My biggest achievement was winning the global award for one of the best projects for low-cost country sourcing. 

Sravani: ITC has always given me equal opportunities throughout my time here. My company gave me the opportunity to travel to Spain even as a fresh graduate. In manufacturing, one rarely receives such opportunities. I travelled to Barcelona for 3 months to help with the dismantling of a machine and my association with that machine continued for a long time after. 

I now think of it as my pet project since - I was not only a part of dismantling it, I then had to ship the entire machinery back to India and needed to monitor its overhaul, once that was done I was taking care of its operations and maintenance for another 3 years.

Experience of rebuilding machine from scraps and now feels familiar with every partThe machine is still being used and is one of the prime producers. Even though I worked on other projects, the machine association is special. 

My next big achievement has been getting into Industry 4.0 -  while leading the integration of all automations across divisions. 

Divyjyot: The most exciting project is the one I am currently involved in because it marries my passion, my skills and my experiences very beautifully. However, If I were to talk about past achievements, it would be running two different businesses of varying natures - when I launched Fabelle Chocolates for ITC.  Balancing premium handcrafted product line with a highly automated factory required creative thinking and a shift in approach.. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of my projects.

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Q5. What are some suggestions you’d make to both organisations & women wanting to build careers in the manufacturing industry- how can they build a better workplace?

Neetu: My suggestions for both organisations & individuals would be 

• Take firm steps to prohibit sexual harassment. Effective sexual harassment prevention requires clear policies, complaint procedures, in-person interactive training, and bystander awareness training. 

• Ensure equality in pay and promotions. Pay audits, greater transparency and setting current wages without regard to past salary history will help. 

• Improve family-friendly policies. Benefits such as paid family and medical leave, flextime help workers balance their tasks at work with those at home and reduce women’s likelihood of leaving their jobs. 

• Support training and re-skilling. Increasingly, well-paying manufacturing jobs require a college degree, at a minimum. Companies should create apprenticeship programs for college students and offer tuition reimbursement for employees.

Sravani: To build a career in manufacturing for women, organisations should focus on providing the necessary infrastructure to make them feel they are in safe and secure hands. And also visibility of a career progression can help make women continue their careers in manufacturing. 

Women who are already in manufacturing should start accepting the ground realities in manufacturing industries and focus on the scope of learning, dealing with challenges and scope of proving themselves rather than comparing it with infra available in other white-collar jobs. 

This can help in building better workplaces. 

Individuals need to be present to take on opportunities in these spaces.

Divyjyot: For women - acknowledge your needs and accept the fact that you are different. I would say be more vocal about your needs as it is difficult for others to anticipate and accommodate the changes that are required. Raised issue of lack of ladies' washroom on shop floor, resolved by management once informed

Don't try to prove yourself to be the man, just be yourself and put organisational goals at the top and lead by example. 

Hiring a 70% female workforce led to record low attrition, absenteeism, and quality issues. A larger pool of women to choose from leads to better selection and unique business operations.

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Q6. How do you ensure a work-life balance?

Neetu: Below are the things I do: 

• Talk it out with your employers, especially with regards to late working hours.
•  Proper delegation of work
•  Draw a line between home and work
•  Make some time for yourself during the day 

Sravani: In my view, work-life balance is very subjective. 

Hobbies can be good enablers for work-life balance.

These hobbies can help in avoiding overthinking about office work even after returning home.

Developed hobbies like candle-making, reading, writing, and took up nutrition/wellness. Gradually lost weight and sustained long-term

Divyjyot: Honestly, it is a personal choice, and has nothing to do with the industry you are in. Don't strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while other days you might have more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day. Some of the tips that might  come in handy are:

1. Do not compare yourself with others as they might have different situations. 

2. Take help of support wherever you can  

3. Work-life balance means different things for different people, based on the life stage they are at. Be clear about what it means to you.

 

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Thanking inspiring women for sharing their stories, building a community of female entrepreneurs on Venwiz for the future of Women in Manufacturing.

To connect with us please reach out at contact@venwiz.com

To discover additional engaging content, visit our LinkedIn page.