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Manufacturing insights

Perspectives on the trends, technology and transformation shaping manufacturing.

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Point of viewAI in manufacturing

Warranty cost is a lagging signal. Automotive quality teams can read it earlier

By the time warranty cost shows up in the P&L, the failure has been in the field for months. Joining claims, service reports, build records and supplier data turns warranty from an accounting line into an early-warning system — provided people keep the quality decisions.

6 min read

Also featured

Point of viewOperations & supply chain

Supplier risk lives where the systems meet

Parts go end-of-life inside decade-long programmes, certificates expire unnoticed and single-source suppliers wobble. In our delivered work, the risk was rarely in one system — it sat between PLM, ERP, quality and supplier records.

6 min read

Point of viewOperations & supply chain

OEE and predictive maintenance stall on data, not algorithms

Most plants already have the machine signals and maintenance history to improve uptime. What they lack is a governed link between MES, CMMS, production plans and cost — and a clear line between what an agent may recommend and what a planner decides.

5 min read

The numbers

Data points shaping manufacturing now

Sourced figures from our latest research. Each links to the insight that puts it in context.

14
standing agents in the SCIKIQ Agentic Decision Platform
Source: SCIKIQ manufacturing accelerators
Read the point of view →
40+
persona views on one reconciled enterprise model, board to plant and depot
Source: SCIKIQ manufacturing accelerators
Read the point of view →
6
value-chain stages, plan to finance, on SAP plus a distributor management system
Source: SCIKIQ manufacturing accelerators
Read the point of view →
4
value-ledger stages, from identified to realised
Source: SCIKIQ manufacturing accelerators
Read the point of view →
Trading & distribution

Latest insights

1 insight

Point of viewTrading & distribution

Visibility stops at the distributor. Join primary and secondary sales to see past it

Manufacturers and trading houses sell through distributors and dealers, but primary sales live in SAP and secondary sales in a distributor management system. Until the two are joined on one golden record, schemes leak, stock is invisible and channel profitability is guesswork.

6 min read

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Where we are focusing

Trading & distribution

Dealers, distributors and the channel beyond the factory gate.

All 1 insight →

AI in manufacturing

GenAI and supervised agents across quality, warranty and engineering.

All 1 insight →

Operations & supply chain

Plants, maintenance, suppliers and the data underneath them.

All 2 insights →

Governing AI

Autonomy, evidence and value for agents in manufacturing.

All 1 insight →
Series

Read the series

Series 1 part

AI in manufacturing

Point of viewAI in manufacturing

Warranty cost is a lagging signal. Automotive quality teams can read it earlier

By the time warranty cost shows up in the P&L, the failure has been in the field for months. Joining claims, service reports, build records and supplier data turns warranty from an accounting line into an early-warning system — provided people keep the quality decisions.

6 min read

Series 1 part

Governing AI

Series 1 part

Plant operations

Point of viewOperations & supply chain

OEE and predictive maintenance stall on data, not algorithms

Most plants already have the machine signals and maintenance history to improve uptime. What they lack is a governed link between MES, CMMS, production plans and cost — and a clear line between what an agent may recommend and what a planner decides.

5 min read

Series 1 part

Supply chain

Point of viewOperations & supply chain

Supplier risk lives where the systems meet

Parts go end-of-life inside decade-long programmes, certificates expire unnoticed and single-source suppliers wobble. In our delivered work, the risk was rarely in one system — it sat between PLM, ERP, quality and supplier records.

6 min read

Series 1 part

Trading & distribution

Point of viewTrading & distribution

Visibility stops at the distributor. Join primary and secondary sales to see past it

Manufacturers and trading houses sell through distributors and dealers, but primary sales live in SAP and secondary sales in a distributor management system. Until the two are joined on one golden record, schemes leak, stock is invisible and channel profitability is guesswork.

6 min read

Our point of view, in practice

From perspective to action

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A supervised digital workforce

Agent squads designed for manufacturing work, by domain, with autonomy levels and a named human owner.

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The SCIKIQ framework

The data, AI and governance layers a manufacturer needs to move from pilots to production at scale.

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