Manufacturing – Croixstone

The Power of Manufacturing in the Charlotte Region

Did you know that the manufacturing sector ($26 billion) contributes nearly as much to the Charlotte region’s GDP as the finance sector ($28 billion)? The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has published a new report on the manufacturing sector that includes the following key highlights:

Over the past 5 years, the Charlotte region’s manufacturing sector has grown twice the national average.

The region is experiencing growth in sectors such as automotive parts suppliers, plastics and advanced textiles, machinery manufacturing, and energy manufacturing.

Manufacturing remains the largest sector by employment in 10 of the region’s 15 counties.

In 7 of the region’s 15 counties, manufacturing accounted for 27% or more of net new jobs over the past 5 years.

Learn more.

ISM’s Report on Business

The Institute For Supply Management‘s Manufacturing “Report On Business” is often cited as a key barometer of the economy. The organization released its latest report on September 3, 2019 with statistics showing that manufacturing activity has shifted into reverse last month for the first time in three years.

Learn About ISM’s “Report On Business”

Manufacturing’s Demographic Sea Change

25% of the manufacturing workforce is over 55 years old. At the same time, the manufacturing industry is struggling to attract enough younger workers with the right skills and qualifications. Facing a workforce crisis—with open jobs in manufacturing recently reaching an all-time high—manufacturers are finding that retaining older workers is not only a necessity but an asset. Learn more here.

From Bank Town to Auto Town?

You may know that the U.S. automotive manufacturing industry has shifted to the southeastern USA. But did you know that the Charlotte region is benefiting greatly from this trend? According to research from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, more than 63,000 people work in automotive sectors in our region (more than Greenville, SC and more than most of Charlotte’s peer cities). Over the past two years, 20 automotive-related companies have announced plans to locate or expand in the region, adding a total of nearly 1,300 jobs. Learn more here.

Charlotte Growth Report

The workforce in the Charlotte region has grown by 28 percent since 2001 (compared to just under 10 percent growth nationwide). This is one of several fascinating statistics included in the Charlotte Chamber’s 1st Quarter 2018 Growth Report. Read the report to learn about the largest sector by total employment in the Charlotte area (surprise – it isn’t financial services or retail) as well as the importance of both Professional Services and Manufacturing to the Charlotte region’s economy in Q1.

Engineering the 21st Century Digital Factory

Manufacturing is primed for a tech revolution that will give way to the digital factory. A look at what that means for not just manufacturers, but tech and capital goods companies. Click here to learn more.

Re-Envisioning the Future with Generative Design

Could the current manufacturing, distribution, assembly and maintenance processes become obsolete in the not too distant future? Today, we take a look at generative design as an innovative approach to thinking outside the box when it comes to design and its implications to manufacturing.

At Croixstone we are inspired by mavericks…those unconventional thinkers who can see past conformity and who can accomplish what others say can’t be done. Generative design has the ability to generate unconventional design options that go beyond our imagination alone and can be used to create everything from running shoes, earbuds and airplane partitions, to a revolutionary approach to designing the office space and buildings of the future.

So what is generative design? According to Autodesk, a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, “Generative design is a technology that mimics nature’s evolutionary approach to design. It starts with your design goals and then explores all of the possible permutations of a solution to find the best option. Using cloud computing, generative design software quickly cycles through thousands—or even millions—of design choices, testing configurations and learning from each iteration what works and what doesn’t. The process lets designers generate brand new options, beyond what a human alone could create, to arrive at the most effective design.” To better understand what generative design is all about, click here for a short video.

Learn how generative design and additive manufacturing (i.e., 3-D printing) is changing the manufacturing world here.

Check out how generative design could radically transform the look of our world here.

Delve into a new world of highly efficient products made by generative design here.

Take a sneak peak into the first large-scale generative designed office here.

Gaining a Competitive Advantage Through Predictive Analytics

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to predict the future? According to a recent Harvard Business Review webinar, companies, governments, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, and universities are using the power of big data, new technologies, and analytics to predict whether we’re going to “click, buy, lie, or die.”

So, what is the difference between forecasting and predictive analytics? Forecasting provides an estimate to anticipate trends for a large group over time, while predictive analytics goes much further and is focused on predicting the behavior of a single individual. For example, forecasting might provide an estimate of the total sales for a particular product line next quarter, while predictive analytics tells which customer will likely buy the product. Major industries such as Banking and Finance, Retail, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas Utilities, Government, E-commerce and Travel and Hospitality embrace predictive analytics to boost sales, improve operations, reduce risks, and gain a competitive advantage.

What is Predictive Analytics? Learn the about the process, applications, software and more here.

Click here to learn how to put predictive analytics to work from Eric Siegel, author of Predictive Analytics.

Read how to convert analytics into action here.