The performance of a production chain does not only depend on the human factor

When talking about production in a company, the human factor is one of the most influential, since it has direct contact with the customer’s final result.

But there are also other aspects that affect the performance of the production chain, such as industrial technology, aimed at developing a production process that meets quality standards, improves and optimizes performance and reduces costs, helping to make a competitive company.

There is also an element that, on many occasions, is not taken into consideration, but important in the success of a company, such as the maintenance of equipment and facilities.

Finally, another factor of great importance for the success of any company today is industrial innovation and the application of new technologies to be part of Industry 4.0. It leads to multiple benefits such as increased productivity, resource management and accurate decision-making with real information.

In this article, we explain how all these indicators influence the production chain and the competitiveness of the company.

Human capital is not a “cost”

Big businesses, or those with the vision to grow, should not consider human capital as an expense, but as an investment.

Under this erroneous concept, measures such as reduction of payroll, hours extensions, etc….are justified and may have counterproductive effects in the production chain.

In this case, you cannot aspire to extraordinary human capital work since their performance and commitment will be proportional to the treatment they receive:

I work because you pay me and what you pay me for

Getting the employee’s commitment to the company is not an impossible situation to achieve, but we must try to ensure the employee is not perceived as a cheap tool that is part of the production process.

If the scheme changes, and the company percieves the employee as an important resource with great potential, productivity is sure to be increased, since it’s him who best knows the problems in the chain process and can identify the drawbacks and provide the most appropriate solutions .

Other factors affecting the performance of the production chain

Knowing how human capital influences the production chain of your business or company is key. But determining the incidence of other elements is not easy task.

To achieve this task it is important to apply a model or method that allows them to be identified and classified for their corresponding analysis.

According to studies carried out on the matter, one of the factors that strongly influences the production chain is the implementation of new technologies.

Industrial technology synonymous with efficiency

The use of engineering and manufacturing is part of the advancement of industrial technology to obtain competent production.

Technological development in the industry is conceived as the inclusion of new tools and techniques to carry out actions of distribution, data processing and mechanization of production.

At Proteval we are aware that technology has become a necessary element for business growth and obtaining great results.

We consider the application of technology not as a luxury but as an urgent need as it allows us to evolve and meet customer demands.

We handle 6 principles which drive us every day to bet on the optimization of industrial technology:

Equipment maintenance affects the production

Undoubtedly, the maintenance of the company’s equipment and facilities is an action that guarantees the production, the quality of the products and the functionality of the machines.

We abide by this principle, as we appreciate maintenance as an investment.

Companies that decide to implement a maintenance policy have a better chance of achieving competitive advantages in their area.

Some entrepreneurs believe that it is something that should not be given much importance, but the malfunction of the equipment and facilities can compromise the production chain to a stop.

It is important to point out that the amount of maintenance that a piece of equipment requires depends on its use, the products it manufactures and the economic sector in which it is located.

It also has multiple advantages such as:

Prevention of occupational accidents

• Optimization of the production chain
• Prevents the generation of serious damage to machinery and facilities
• Detection of faults caused by the deterioration of pieces of equipment.
• Increase in the useful life of machinery and equipment.

Industry 4.0: the new industrial revolution?

The use of new technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the capabilities that currently exist in the industrial sector.

These factors are giving way to Industry 4.0, increasing automation and digitization indicators.

A sample of what we are explaining is the use of ERP software (Enterprise Resource Planning – Business Resource Planning) to manage processes.

When a company decides to automate a process, it takes a step to become a 4.0 industry.

Such is the case of companies belonging to the production sector that apply artificial intelligence such as robotics for the assembly process, minimizing the number of failures and consequently increasing production.

Apart from the production area, some businesses are using automation in the logistics area.

Thanks to this, it is known precisely when to order raw material, inventory control and know the availability of final products.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, human resources are one of the greatest wealth and advantages that a company has, it will influence productivity and success in the market.

Businesses should be seen as a grand universe made up of systems that are linked. Each one influences the other.

There are also other internal and external factors in the company that improve and affect the production chain. You just have to identify them and apply effective strategies.

Whatever the strategy, it must be based on the differentiation of the value of the competitor’s products. Since the goal of each business is to be positively identified by the product it makes or manufactures, as well as how it adapts to the needs and expectations of the client.

Although we do not specify them in the article, there are elements far from the production chain that indirectly affect the productivity of the company. Such is the case of State policies, the stability of the economy, international market, legal security, balance of laws, among others.- Internal factors such as equipment maintenance, technological investment and industrialization are the most susceptible to being applied by the Business. Since they depend on timely internal decisions aimed at well-being.