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Manufacturing in the Digital Age

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Foreword

Simon LewingtonManaging Director, Systems Assurance

Since I founded Systems Assurance over 25 years ago, we’ve experienced some huge changes in how we use technology. Not only do we use it in every element of our daily lives, but we’ve also become completely dependent on it — particularly within business.

Adapting to change is no longer a choice for the modern organisation and manufacturers are no exception. Customers are becoming more informed, more demanding and want high quality goods and faster service. These needs can only be met through the carefully planned implementation of digital transformation technologies.

One example of having to adapt to changing needs can be found in the evolution of Systems Assurance. After being in business for 12 years we knew that purchasing would move online, so in 2004 we created More Computers, our dedicated e-commerce subsidiary. This gave customers much greater choice, control and next day delivery. We also realised a new opportunity as a result and launched MoreFrom.Me, a white-label commission driven drop-ship webstore based on the More Computers’ Microsoft platform that can be used by third parties to expand their offering.

Over the last 14 years we’ve continued to invest in our people and our capabilities, giving us the knowledge to undertake complex projects for clients where other software companies have been unable to create the appropriate solutions. Our specialism lies in the implementation and customisation of Microsoft products and services, and with over 70 manufacturing clients we are more than familiar with the challenges and budgetary constraints of the industry.

With Industrie 4.0 technologies becoming widely adopted worldwide, in this guide we look at some of the opportunities that digital transformation can bring to help UK Manufacturing lay the right foundations for future growth and resiliency.

Contents Industrie 4.0 3-4Digital Transformation 5Cloud Computing 6-7Realising the value from Big Data 8-9The British Manufacturing Revival 10-11Cyber Security and Digital Risk 12-14Case Study - Gripple Manufacturing 15

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What is Industrie 4.0?

Industrie 4.0, first coined by the German Government in 2010 as part of their High Tech Strategy, has now become widely accepted as a term that refers to the fourth

industrial revolution - the next period of major technological advancement for the human race.

Whilst some of us may have been blissfully unaware that we’d already passed through the second and third revolutions, these did indeed mark major milestones of progress for the modern world. Whilst the first — and most famous revolution — brought us steam power, machine tools and the factory system, by the 1870s we were already in the second. This era saw us make huge advancements in transportation with the development of public transport and planes which were powered by our new ability to harness oil and electricity.

Finally, by the 1970s we’d entered a new period: the third, or digital revolution. This is when we made the transition from using basic analogue technologies to developing advanced computers, communication systems and robots.

So that leaves us here in 2018, and on the brink of some significant changes in the way we work, particularly in manufacturing. So what do we need to know about Industrie 4.0?

Firstly, there are major differences between a traditional factory and an Industry 4.0 factory. The various technological advancements that make up Industrie 4.0 have created the right informational ecosystem for what has quickly become known as the ‘Smart Factory’, a place where technology, and more principally, automation, has come to replace the manual tasks of the past. Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) can now integrate physical processes and computational algorithms to produce unmanned autonomous systems which can think for themselves.

These systems have remarkable abilities; not only can they adapt quickly to unexpected situations such as changes

How technology is changing the manufacturing landscape

2nd

1st

3rd

4th

Machine ToolsThe Factory SystemSteam PowerCast Iron

Electrical PowerTelephonesPetroleumSteel ProductionAutomobilesRailwaysPlanes

ElectronicsITThe InternetRobotsGPSRenewable EnergyAutomation

Cyber Physical Systems Machine LearningThe IoTArtificial IntelligenceSmart Factories

The Four Industrial Revolutions

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in the environment and increased demand for output, but they can also detect malfunctions before they happen. Ultimately, new technologies such as the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing (to name just a few) will create a collaboratively interconnected platform on which all manufacturing decisions and functions will be based. This will drive factories to become leaner, cleaner, safer and more efficient than ever before.

Making the transition to Smart Manufacturing

Digital transformation takes time, careful planning and not to mention a significant amount of financial investment. With tech-savvy investors finding new opportunities to enter the UK manufacturing marketplace, existing manufacturers should start to plan their digital transformation as soon as possible to maintain their competitive advantage. For those who move swiftly, the future looks bright.

Smart Factory

The Internet of Things

Cloud Computing

Big Data

Additive Manufacturing

AugmentedReality

Artificial Intelligence

Cyber Security

AutonomousRobots

System Integration

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The Digital Transformation JourneyCreating a digital transformation plan is the first step to achieving long term growth

Gone are the days where you could choose from having only two benefits in a choice of fast, cheap or good quality. Tomorrow’s

manufacturers will potentially be able offer all three by capitalising on Industrie 4.0 technologies.

Managing change is never easy. Even in smaller companies where physical implementation may be simpler, cultural idiosyncrasies often exist across different functions that can present barriers to progress. Bringing different parts of an organisation together in a co-ordinated effort can be the hardest part of any new implementation. However, with the right planning, processes and communication it doesn’t need to be a difficult process.

Change cannot happen all at once, so it’s important that consideration is given as to how digital transformation can be broken down into individual smaller projects. Mini-projects not only make transformation easier to manage, but their successful completion also demonstrates to stakeholders that the organisation has a clear road map for the future and is committed to delivering continual improvements. The positive PR generated by the completion of such projects drives engagement and boosts morale across the workplace, motivating stakeholders to become proactive in aiding the progress of future projects.

Setting up a Digital Transformation Project

The Process

Transformation needs researched and identified

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Project sign off

Engage teams and define responsibilities

Communicate changes across organisation

Implementation

Assessment

Review & Improve

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3

4

5

6

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•Map the broader service and competitor landscape•Research and identify transformational needs •Define the overall requirements•Shortlist requirements by priority•Select immediate projects with clear objectives•Define metrics that will be used to measure success

•Develop the transformation roadmap •Perform Due Diligence: explore full range of

possible solutions (third party and/or in house capabilities)

•Create business case•Secure commitment from senior stakeholders

•Appoint project teams and allocate responsibilities•Set clear tasks and deadlines•Create clear transformational plan to record

progress across teams•Define and confirm contracts for any third party

suppliers of machinery/tech.

•Include clear milestones and expectations for project delivery

•Clarify any actions or changes in processes that are expected to occur and when these will happen

•Inform any suppliers/partners/customers and others in the supply chain of any changes that might affect them

•Beta testing •Implement business change•Implement technology change

•Monitor change adoption•Measure change performance •Report back to senior stakeholders•Update business-wide stakeholders on performance

•Phase out old technology•Continually review, adapt and improve

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Up, up and away . . . . .

With Cloud Computing, the sky really is the limit when it comes to digitalisation

Strength and stability

Check how well established the company is and which clients it currently serves. Is the company able to provide references and will it allow you to speak to its clients? You should also examine the company’s history and financial position to ensure it has the capital in place to deliver a sustainable service and is committed to making continual investments in its infrastructure.

Experience and know-how

Does the CSP specialise in handling cloud services for specialist industries such as your own? The provider should have a firm grasp of what your company wants to achieve and understand how they can apply their expertise to help your business.

Moving your data and applications off premise can give you real flexibility. With capex costs on physical hardware re-

directed into scalable and cost-effective cloud storage, funds can be freed up to invest in Industrie 4.0 technologies that will bring quantifiable value to your manufacturing business.

The use of cloud computing is increasingly widespread among UK businesses, with the cloud adoption rate in the UK standing at 88 percent in 20171. Those who have partially or fully migrated to the cloud are already reaping the rewards. Cloud hosted software and applications allows shared access to real-time data, anywhere in the world, increasing collaboration and improving productivity across the workforce.

Choosing the right cloud provider

When it comes to the hosting of your data and applications, you’ll want to make a careful decision about who you choose. Your cloud service provider (CSP) should be prepared to work with you as a long-term partner and offer you a flexible service that can adapt as your business evolves. Preliminary assessment of potential CSPs should include a compliance audit to validate whether your shortlisted providers can comply with all your requirements.

Your main considerations when choosing a CSP should include the following:

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Security

All CSPs should be able to demonstrate that they have a solid, secure infrastructure. Ask for evidence of the systems and services the company uses to ensure that both its premises and infrastructure have strong protection from being infiltrated by physical or digital means.

When it comes to assigning access to your hardware and service components for both internal and external parties, there should be robust policies in place with designated permission groups for different members of your organisation. These should be secured by authentication.

All data should be backed up, and the cloud provider should have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place to ensure business continuity in the event of an incident.

Governance and risk management

What is the company’s structure and where are its data centres? If it is multi-tenant, you should verify how your data is isolated from that of the other clients and if that may be subject to change in the future.

Does the organisation have established risk management policies and formal processes for selecting its vendors and third-party providers?

You should also check whether your provider will provide regular performance reports. An agreed SLA will ensure that you receive the level of service your business demands.

1 https://www.cloudindustryforum.org/content/uk-cloud-adoption-rate-reaches-88-finds-new-research-cloud-industry-forum

Why choose Microsoft Azure?Systems Assurance recommends Microsoft Azure as the best cloud hosting solution for medium to large-size manufacturers.

Azure gives manufacturing IT departments and developers greater flexibility, allowing the creation of applications in any tool or language, together with the added advantage of having the Visual Studio family of tools, Logic App connectors and over 100 Azure Cloud Services.

Microsoft has decades-long experience of building enterprise software and running some of the largest online services in the world. It ensures that security is built into its business products and cloud services from the ground up, embedding security requirements into every phase of the development process. It utilises its years of experience to implement and continuously improve security-aware software development, operational management, and threat-mitigation practices that are essential to the strong protection of services and data.

Speak to us today about how we can help you with your cloud migration.

Call 0114 292 2911 or

email consult@systemsassurance.com

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Putting valuable insights at your fingertips

Integrating physical and digital infrastructure offers manufacturers a streamlined business with access to big data that can provide powerful insights, yet many organisations are still failing to take advantage of the new technologies available.

Whilst the manufacturing process and customer service were once seen as very disparate functions, the convergence

of physical and digital systems is disrupting the marketplace. ERP and CRM systems that once kept data and process entities separate are coming together, incorporating the feeds from IoT-enabled equipment, parts and assets to provide all-in-one-place access to valuable data that empowers everyone across the organisation.

Legacy technology can often cause problems when it comes to integration, which is why Microsoft has taken a new approach in its development of MS Dynamics. Dynamics unifies the siloed CRM and ERP systems of the past, providing intelligent business applications that unite front office and the back office with a single end-to-end system for managing every aspect of a business. Modular applications that are designed for specific processes, roles and for industries (such as manufacturing) can now be easily tailored, extended and connected with little to no code development, allowing easy implementation.

Making the most of current investments is a key consideration in the process of digital transformation, which is why Microsoft Dynamics has been designed to allow manufacturing organisations to start small, transform specific functions and grow at the pace and scale that’s right for them.

Business leaders can change and evolve their processes in real-time using a modern consistent, and extensible platform. Dynamics also offers another key benefit — as it is designed to work in the same way as existing Microsoft technologies, employees will already be familiar with the appearance and functionality, encouraging faster adoption and broader usage.

Realising the value of Big Data

In an age where we can measure almost anything using a combination of Smart Warehouse technologies and IoT, the resulting informational output (known as Big Data) has become unimaginably vast. Data worldwide is growing 40 percent per year1 and whilst collecting and storing the data is one thing, what’s more important is having the tools to analyse it effectively. Manufacturers who invest in the right BI analysis capabilities can expect to have a much greater understanding of the full product life cycle, from initial prototype design to field service.

Organised data provides valuable insights that offer multiple opportunities for process improvement:

1https://www.forbes.com/sites/mckinsey/2013/07/22/big-data-analytics-and-the-future-of-marketing-sales/#7a5c0df25587

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• Reduction of manufacturing waste by making processes and material use more efficient

• Improvement of business outcomes by automating processes

• A better understanding of market behaviour through the examination of customer interactions, product performance and social networks

• Identification of where the distribution process and the supply chain can be streamlined to deliver to customer demands

• Lower transportation costs and improved delivery accuracy

• The opportunity to identify and develop value-added services that complement product sales to improve customer retention and secure new revenue streams.

Simplify the analysis of your Big Data With Microsoft Dynamics pre-built context-specific dashboards for the manufacturing industry, you’ve already got a head start. Systems Assurance Quick Start Service for MS Dynamics provides a Business Readiness, Infrastructure Readiness and Data Import Assessment and a basic implementation of MS Dynamics as well as training for your IT team.

Find out more about Microsoft Dynamics CRM Quick Start Services by giving Systems Assurance a call today on 0114 292 2911 or email consult@systemsassurance.com.

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The Made in Britain Revival

UK manufacturing growth is at a 30-year high.Could reshoring be the key to our long term success?

Interest in reshoring manufacturing back in the UK is growing. Whilst forecasts once predicted an economic disaster as a result of the referendum

vote, the economy showed positive growth of 1.5 percent in 2017 — far from the recession that everyone was told to expect1. Evidence suggests that British manufacturing has already performed an excellent task of turning uncertainty into opportunity, bolstered by the pound to dollar and Euro exchange rates.

A BBC News and Make it British survey of 90 manufacturers revealed almost 50 percent had increased their turnover last year with 30 percent exporting a higher volume of British goods2. In fact, manufacturing experienced an upturn in 2017 with growth reaching a level it hasn’t seen in 30 years.3 UK Unemployment is at its lowest level since 1975 and just over half of UK manufacturers are planning to recruit additional staff in 2018.4

A report in 2015 by Ernst and Young said that bringing manufacturing back to the UK was a “once in a generation” opportunity that could provide a £15billion boost to the economy and create 315,000 jobs5, and this was before we knew the referendum outcome. With our departure from the European Union looming ahead, could the aftermath provide the perfect conditions for UK manufacturing to make a comeback? Evidence suggests that UK companies are already starting to think about reversing the offshoring trend in the light of strong global trading conditions.

The last ten years have seen the tide start to turn and the Far East cannot be expected to churn

out cheap goods forever. Cheap labour that once gave Far Eastern economies a global competitive advantage is dwindling. The cause and effect of rapid economic growth has led to the increase of wages and far eastern workers have gradually sought better terms and working conditions. In fact, wages in China have almost doubled since 2009, making human resource increasingly more expensive.6

Consumers are also becoming much more informed about how goods are manufactured. The Far East has always been notorious for its sweat shop working environments in which workers undertake long shifts doing repetitive work in cramped conditions and sleep in shared factory dormitories. For a large number of buyers, the focus on price has shifted to a focus on provenance. When purchasing goods, buyers increasingly want to feel reassured that they have made an ethical choice and know where their goods have come from and how they have been produced. Manufacturers have also come under increasing scrutiny in regards to their Corporate Social Responsibility policies and human exploitation.

Looking purely from a supply chain perspective, buying from manufacturers in the Far East and Asia also has its limitations, particularly for smaller makers. Minimum order quantities (MOQs) are often put in place and orders must be forecasted months in advance. Lead times for production can often take 90 days or more. There’s also then the shipping to consider, with transport by boat taking over a month. Whilst large multinationals have the resources and processes in place to manage stock

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Who’s coming back to the UK?

In 2017 Cadbury owner, Mondelez announced that it would bring the production of Dairy Milk, Dairy Milk Oreo and Tiffin bars back to its Bournville factory after making an investment of £75m in machinery, allowing it to favourably compete against manufacturing facilities in other European countries. Prior to making the investment it had cost three times as much to make chocolate bars in Bournville than it had in Germany.

Clarks also announced that it would return the making of its desert boots to Somerset, where shoes were made from 1825 until production was moved to the Far East in 2005. After closing its last British plant in Cumbria in 2006, Clarks is now able to return production to its headquarters in the village of Street in Somerset after investing in robot assisted technology.

British national treasure Marks and Spencer are also reportedly trialling automated machinery to make tights at the old Adria plant in Strabane, Northern Ireland where production was based until its closure in 2006. The technology for the production of hosiery is expected to cost between £2m and £3m and will also bring employment back to a deprived area.

ordering on this level, smaller companies find this more challenging. This method of buying can often be prohibitive to them because of cashflow, fewer customers and the storage space required for such a large amount of stock.

Cross continent communication can also be an issue, with cultural and language differences creating a barrier to building trust and developing mutually collaborative relationships. The travel costs and time involved in visiting factories and holding meetings can be huge, plus there is also the environmental impact to consider from transporting goods — and people over such a distance.

What are the advantages of onshoring?

The devalued pound against the Euro means that sourcing from Europe is no longer as cheap as it once was. Whilst a trade agreement hasn’t yet been decided, the UK could become subject to tariffs on goods and components manufactured in European countries once we’ve left the EU.

Working with local suppliers in the UK offers a level of flexibility, responsiveness and co-operation that is difficult to achieve when sourcing from another country, whether in Europe or further afield. A shorter domestic supply chain means that organisations can be more agile in responding to market demand, particularly in fast paced industries such as fashion. Retailer Boohoo has already taken advantage of this and sources 50% of its product from UK factories7, allowing them to take garments to market much more quickly.

Manufacturing in the UK also gives us much more control. It’s no secret that many Far Eastern factories actively copy designer name goods that they have the contract to manufacture, choosing cheaper materials to produce counterfeits that can be sold at a lower price on the black market. Having manufacturing plants in the UK means that they can be visited regularly to check on quality and production. Face-to-face meetings between manufacturers and vendors encourages closer working relationships where each can share expertise and become more mutually involved in R&D projects that will drive the industry forward.

Investing now for future success

Our new era of Industrie 4.0 means we’re about to enter a period of unprecedented opportunity in which technology could make our dependence on cheap overseas manpower obsolete forever. However, there is still a level of nervousness surrounding Brexit with many holding back on

making investments in improving process efficiency. A survey by EEF and Santander showed that only 51.1 percent of UK manufacturers intend to spend more on plant and machinery in 2018.8

The repatriation of UK manufacturing cannot happen overnight, but steady well-planned investments in automation and technology will certainly help us become more prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. Our ability to adapt, reassess and take action quickly will be crucial to our survival.

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Protecting your manufacturing business against digital risk

As UK manufacturers lay down their plans for innovation and digital transformation, one thing that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked is cybersecurity.

Fraud and cybercrime are now the UK’s most common offences. More than five and a half million cyber offences are now thought to

take place each year, accounting for almost half of all crime in the country.1 In today’s reality, no organisation is off limits to potential attackers. Threat vectors vary widely in terms of intention and purpose and manufacturers can suffer from attacks that are both deliberately targeted or intended for widespread disruption or financial gain.

With IoT extending to everything from industrial equipment to consumer devices, this has opened up a broader attack surface that makes all organisations more vulnerable. Cyberattacks are not just growing in sophistication but also in number. In 2016 as many as 46 percent of UK companies suffered a cyberattack or breach of their systems compared to 24 percent in 2015.2 with medium and large firms reporting an even higher occurrence.3

Manufacturers may be at particular risk

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2017, published in April 2016 suggests that manufacturers are far less likely than many other sectors of the economy to rate cybersecurity as a serious priority for their organisations. Whereas cybersecurity was rated as a very high priority for

60 percent of financial services institutions, 49 percent of education and healthcare institutions and 42 percent of utilities, just 31 percent of manufacturers regarded it as such.4

In 2011, a study undertaken by the UK Government Cabinet Office in conjunction with specialist IT consultants, Detica identified that manufacturers were a high-risk target.5 This is supported by IBM’s 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Index that reports that the manufacturing industry is now one of the most frequently hacked industries, coming second only to healthcare.6

The true costs of Cyber attacks

Whilst digital transformation projects can produce financially measurable results, including higher productivity, faster time to market, increased revenues and reduced human labour, the value of investing cyber security projects are more difficult to quantify. It is only when a business comes under attack that the real costs of not having adequate data security in place become a reality.

According to research carried out by business ISP Beaming, 2.9 million UK firms suffered cybersecurity breaches at a total cost of £29.1 billion in 2016.7 Direct costs of recovering from a cyberattack can be huge and include the recovery of lost data, reparation of corrupted systems and

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loss of revenue whilst systems are offline, not to mention the time and resource taken by internal IT staff or external security agencies to mend the problem. But it’s not just the direct costs that need to be considered.

It’s not just time and money businesses stand to lose

For the manufacturing sector, a system hack could create a situation where all business operations grind to halt. If hackers are able to infiltrate the control of machinery, it could create untold malicious damage and even put workers’ health and safety at risk. The wider and longer lasting consequences can include:

Data breach fines

In 2016, fines for data protection breaches hit over £3.2m in the UK8 and this is set to increase with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018. GDPR introduces strict penalties for companies that suffer data breaches and companies will face more stringent sanctions that could see them be fined up to four percent of global turnover or £16.9m - whichever is larger - for a breach, whether it stems from a cyberattack or from human error.

Loss of customer and employee data

The customers of today want personalisation, quality products, great service and quick delivery, but definitely not at the compromise of their data. Information loss accounts for almost 40 percent of the damage of cybercrime.9 If accounting and bank details are stolen, this could lead to supplier and customer bank accounts being put at risk of infiltration.

Risk to digitally connected stakeholders

Industrie 4.0 technologies allow the interconnection of a manufacturer’s own systems to those of its customers, suppliers, and partners across the digital supply network (DSN) so it’s essential that data control mechanisms are in place. Controls should include sharing only what is absolutely necessary, locking down access to pre-approved individuals, ensuring data is encrypted and using two factor authentication. Digital transformation teams need to create robust processes for the assessment, verification and approval of all third-parties who seek to data share through both automated and non-automated systems.

Industrial Espionage

Industrial spying is now more likely to be carried out online. Today’s cyber spies are hard to trace and it’s not just government agencies that are cyber spying — so are those who want to steal your company’s information for their own gain.

Cyber criminals are looking to source any data that can be sold to competitors, criminal groups or even governments. Spies can be looking to source anything from design plans, strategy planning documents and security information to employee files and accounting records.

Theft of Intellectual Property (IP)

Industrial Espionage can lead to the theft of intellectual property. According to a 2011 UK Government survey, types of IP most likely to be stolen by cyber criminals are ideas, designs, methodologies and trade secrets. IP theft can have huge ramifications. A 2016 study by Deliotte found that, when all losses were taken into consideration, one company suffered overall costs of $3.2 billion from a single cyber IP theft incident.10.

Damaged Shareholder and Investor Confidence

For publicly listed companies, a data breach can have a detrimental effect on the company share price as investors recognise the potential for the company to lose revenue and sell up quick. In 2017, a report by CGI and Oxford Economics analysed 65 companies who had been affected by a data breach since 2013. The findings showed that the breaches had caused share prices to fall an average of 1.8 percent on a permanent basis.

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Investors in a typical FTSE 100 firm would beworse off by an average of £120 million after such a breach, with an overall cost to shareholders being in excess of 42 billion pounds.11

Reputational damage and resulting customer loss

If clients believe their data is at risk of falling into the wrong hands, they’ll be quick to move their business elsewhere. In 2015, TalkTalk fell victim to a serious data breach in which confidential customer data was obtained. The topic gained 200,000 tweets in seven days and TalkTalk lost over 100,000 customers.12

Protecting your business from risk of cyberattack

Cybersecurity is no longer just the responsibility of IT Managers and has become the concern of everyone in an organisation, yet only 34 percent of UK manufacturers say that their core staff take cyber security seriously in their day-to-day work.13 Despite cyberattacks becoming more and more sophisticated, it is estimated that 50 percent of data breaches are actually caused by employees.14 This can be down to a lack of awareness of phishing and spear phishing emails and the careless use of portable storage devices such as USB sticks.

Manufacturers can limit their risk to attack by conducting adequate due diligence and taking steps to ensure that security is built into applications and interconnected devices right from the start. Consistent, effective security training of all staff across an organisation can also cut the incidence of data breaches and malicious attacks.

The UK’s Cyber Essentials Service has been set up to help UK businesses guard against the most common cyber threats. For more information on how your business can become Cyber Essentials certified, visit https://www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk/.

Systems Assurance are experts in the provision of Cyber Security.

For more information call 0114 292 2911 or email consult@systemsassurance.com

References & Endnotes

Page 10-11: The Made in Britain Revival

1: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/dec/31/uk-economy-in-2018-steady-growth-tempered-by-brexit-politics 2: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42452950 3: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/12/19/manufacturing-growth-30-year-high-uk-factories-capitalise-export/ 4: http://www.cbi.org.uk/news/businesses-to-create-jobs-in-2018-despite-uncertainty-cbi-pertemps-network-group-survey/ 5: https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/business/manufacturing-returning-uk-says-skymark-16-10-2017 6: https://thediplomat.com/2017/12/is-chinas-era-of-cheap-labor-really-over/ 7: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/12/26/made-britain-will-brexit-spell-march-makers/ 8: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/23/brexit-fears-holding-back-manufacturing-investment-study-finds

Page 12-13. Protecting your manufacturing business against digital risk.

1: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/19/fraud-cyber-crime-now-countrys-common-offences/ 2: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/04/19/cyber-attacks-hit-half-uk-businesses-2016/ 3: UK Cyber security Breaches Survey April 2017. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ipsos MORI and the University of Portsmouth. 4: UK Cyber security Breaches Survey April 2017. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ipsos MORI and the University of Portsmouth. 5: https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/cybersecurity-manufacturing-assessing-the-danger/ 6: https://www.autoindustrylawblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/05/IBM_2016-cyber-security-intelligence-index.pdf 7: https://www.beaming.co.uk/press-releases/cyber-security-breaches-cost-businesses-30-billion/ 8: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-data-privacy-breach-fines-2016-over-3-million-pwc-a7764846.html 9: https://www.i-scoop.eu/cyber-security-cyber-risks-dx/ 10: Deloitte Review: The hidden costs of an IP Breach. 2016. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/loss-of-intellectual-property-ip-breach/DR19_TheHiddenCostsOfAnIPBreach.pdf 11: http://fortune.com/2017/04/12/cyber-breaches-shareholder-damage/ 12: http://www.reputations.org.uk/blog/the-reputational-and-business-damage-of-a-data-breach/ 13: UK Cyber security Breaches Survey April 2017. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ipsos MORI and the University of Portsmouth. 14: https://www.scmagazine.com/study-find-carelessness-among-top-human-errors-affecting-security/article/535928/

Photo Credits

Courtesy of Unsplash: Front cover: Rob-Lambert-64186, Sidney-Perry-66409, Igor-Ovsyannykov-254180. Page 3: Ant-Rozetsky-140870. Page 5: Jazel-Melgoza-326121. Page 6: Tirza-van-dijk-58298, Page 7: Rawpixel.com-296621, Page 8: Carlos-Musa-84523. Page 9: Olu-Eletu-13086, Christian-Battaglia-7321. Page 10: Neil-Cooper-276082. Page 11: aron-van-de-pol-218042. Page 13: Kevin-364843

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Case Study Market-leading manufacturers of Industrial Wire Rope Suspension Systems, Gripple needed a cloud migration solution with no risk of downtime. Reaching over four timezones in five different countries, the challenge was implementing a multi-lingual migration as smoothly and as quickly as possible.

Having employed over 40 new members of staff across several countries, it was anticipated that communication and dissemination of information across the company would become a problem.

Gripple wanted a multilingual platform simple enough to be used by everyone but comprehensive enough to grow with their needs. With 250+ people split over different sites, in different parts of the world, a flexible solution was needed.

This project required a supplier who could work closely with their team and co-ordinate all departments across the business. Gripple had selected Systems Assurance for previous IT projects so were familiar with their knowledge, approach and value for money.

Project focus points included:

• Multi-Lingual Platform

• Global Infrastructure using Cloud

• Zero Downtime

• Solid Platform to expand

The Project

A new collaboration platform was created using SharePoint and Office 365. Microsoft Dynamics was used for the sales and internalstaff and a global intranet, extranet and warehouse display screens were deployed to

handle their global messaging.

The Result

Gripple now has a cloud based CRM system,Microsoft Dynamics across the entire company in multiple countries and languages.

Both their Office 365 and Dynamics deployment went according to plan with zero downtime.

Global company-wide collaboration was not possible from their Microsoft OneDrive for Business and Microsoft SharePoint platform. Using SharePoint, Systems have created an intranet, extranet and secure storage for their company files and media for their display screens.

“The Systems Assurance team had the right balance of technical ability and user experience knowledge. It was just what we needed.”

Andy BuckleSenior IT Co-ordinator Gripple

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The Old Vicarage, 12 Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom S10 2BA

0114 292 4000 | info@systemsassurance.com | www.systemsassurance.com

February 2018