As the world heralds in Industry 4.0, a phase pivoted around the industrial internet of things and smart technologies, the face of electronics manufacturing is transformed. With traditional hands-on processes gradually replaced by automation and data-driven workflows, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies are unlocking unprecedented levels of speed and productivity. At the same time, digitalisation empowers these businesses to adopt new and more efficient ways of working. Consequently, they become more agile and better equipped to cope with challenges and help their clients seize market opportunities. As the world increasingly moves towards a digital future since the COVID-19 pandemic, EMS companies embracing digitalisation are better positioned to succeed and serve their clients.
Driven by a forward-thinking business philosophy, fully harnessing the power of technology to create value for clients has always been a part of PCI’s corporate D.N.A. We realise this vision by going a step ahead of other EMS players in Singapore. Expanding the concept of digitalisation beyond manufacturing operations, our digitalisation initiatives involve multiple business functions. Through this, PCI has effectively streamlined processes organisation-wide to reduce turnaround time and improve the quality of our deliverables. As a result, PCI’s clients benefit from shorter time-to-market, more significant cost savings, and better products, elevating their overall customer experience while giving PCI a competitive edge.
End-to-End Supply Chain Digitalisation
With an understanding of how speed and quality work are equally valued by customers, PCI’s supply chain digitalisation is implemented to attain the best of both worlds for clients.
1. Front-end Management Systems Optimisation
Through an automated, smart order capture and entry system, PCI eliminates errors arising from manual data entry and order routing; such poor data management cost organisations an average of US$12.9 million annually. The automated system also ensures that any issues can be rectified before production begins. With these assurances, clients will have peace of mind that their requests will always be executed and delivered accurately, minimising disruptions to their operations. At the same time, with the average order entry and processing time reduced by more than 90% per order, a speedier response to customer demand is enabled. Meanwhile, man-hours saved can translate to greater cost savings for clients, which can be significant since the intense competition and rising costs in the electronics industry can keep profit margins tight.
Complementing this is PCI’s integrated order planning system, which provides real-time visibility into supply and customer demand. This, alongside automation, supports faster order execution, allowing PCI’s clients to benefit from quicker time-to-market, which is crucial for capitalising on market opportunities and maximising gains. With the knowledge that they will receive a quick confirmation on whether order fulfilment is possible, companies will also experience less stress when placing urgent, last-minute orders with PCI. Lastly, with improved tracking of supply changes, forecasting accuracy is increased, empowering customers to better manage order lead times and make business decisions with greater confidence.
2. Supply Chain Management System Digitalisation
While a robust front-end management system can significantly improve the predictability of production, plans may still be derailed when supply chain issues cannot be resolved promptly. Taking this into consideration, PCI integrates its supply chain management system with supplier networks over a cloud platform and provides real-time visibility into warehousing operations. Through streamlining communication with suppliers, orders can be expedited, affording PCI’s clients greater flexibility in scaling production up or down to react to market changes. Meanwhile, with the digitalisation of warehouse management, manual processes are reduced, boosting efficiency in tracking and managing inventories. This elevated productivity is supported by real-time updates, which increase the accuracy of inventory data accessed at all times. As a result, PCI’s clients can benefit from better planning that helps them avoid experiencing delays in launching or restocking their products.
3. Plant Maintenance and Workflow Automation
Apart from production-related systems, PCI has also automated the plant maintenance tracking system, which now provides a clear overview of plant machines’ maintenance history and life cycle. This enables PCI to optimise maintenance cycles, ensuring that production assets are always kept in top form. By working with PCI, businesses will be able to avoid production delays and resulting cost overruns arising from frequent downtimes. This is in addition to PCI’s production and assembly process automation investments. With machines that can run round-the-clock, the output turnaround time is reduced. But more importantly, the greater precision of these machines improves quality and creates the possibility of producing more with fewer resources. Thus, PCI’s clients can save on production costs while enjoying higher quality output that adds value to their products and customers.
4. Business Process Automation
Perhaps most importantly, PCI’s efforts are extended to include other business functions so that the workflow of its entire supply chain is optimised. Through its business process automation initiative, PCI’s management team gains a comprehensive overview of critical data on orders and production in real time. This information empowers PCI’s management team to make better, informed decisions and react to unforeseen circumstances promptly. At the same time, business models can be optimised to boost productivity, efficiency, agility, and output quality. Through this, PCI creates greater value for clients and increases their resilience to market volatility.
Supply Chain Digitalisation for the Present and Future
Following the encouraging results observed in these pilot projects, PCI intends to explore other areas as part of its digital transformation initiatives in 2022 and beyond. Some of these include developing and automating new systems, scaling production management and automation initiatives, and expanding current projects to other aspects of PCI’s business. With PCI’s constant streamlining of business processes and enhancements in manufacturing capabilities, an increase in production capacity, agility, efficiency, and output quality can be anticipated. By working with PCI, clients can be assured that their service provider will always be able to respond quickly to their evolving needs with cutting-edge products. Complemented by the production of quality products in a shorter amount of time, businesses can leverage PCI’s capabilities to bolster their competitive advantage and stay ahead of the pack.
Unlock Your Business Competitiveness with PCI
As the driver of most supply chain-related decisions, forecasting is also an essential aspect of supply chain management. However, with greater fluctuations in demand and supply volatility since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become trickier to make accurate forecasts. Consequently, this adds to the challenges businesses in the electronics industry face. By working with an EMS partner who can go above and beyond supply chain management, firms can be empowered to navigate these complexities smoothly and remain competitive in the market. As a leading EMS and electronics supply chain management company in Singapore, PCI is confident in tapping on the expertise and experience of our team of specialists to take your business to the next level. Beyond boosting the productivity and cost efficiency of your supply chain processes through automation, PCI can further help you overcome production and forecasting uncertainties by drawing on data insights. With greater resilience and enhanced end-to-end control over the whole supply chain, you will be better equipped to make robust business plans, supporting your firm’s strategic growth.
Apart from supply chain management, PCI offers a comprehensive suite of solutions to help you maximise the potential of your product:
- Product design
- Supply chain management
- Manufacturing
- Testing and certification
Accredited with various certifications such as ISO 9001:2015, you can be confident that PCI will consistently deliver high-quality products and solutions to your company. Reach out to our team today for tailored advice on how you can leverage our solutions to add to your organisation’s advantage.
Summary
With supply chains holding the key to successful business operations for companies in the electronics industry, effective management is crucial in ensuring that your company remains competitive. That is why the importance of selecting a reputable and reliable supply chain management partner can never be understated. Partnering with a trusted company that can deliver top-notch services to meet your changing needs empowers you to focus on growing your business better. At PCI, we are constantly streamlining our supply chain operations with cutting-edge technologies and best practices to deliver more value to our clients. By working with PCI, clients can reap the dividends of our endless innovation to optimise their operations and stay prepared for the future.