When it comes to technology investments, the factory floor and warehouse typically get the least attention – and yet they are critical to the operations and survival of any company.
Work from home for office workers was relatively easier compared to the challenge faced by factory workers, Cuthbertson adds. What the recent interruptions highlighted was the disconnect between information technology and operations technology that is still a feature of many companies. “So, generally, IT was looked after by one team, OT by another – and there was very little cross-pollination and interoperability.”
But it’s not as simple as just extending the corporate network on to the factory floor, Cuthbertson explains. “One of the reasons this granularity exists is because there are specialised OEMs supplying technology in the industrial space and they have developed this with their own automation machinery running on their own proprietary platforms.
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