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CNC WEST August/September 2018 www.CNC-West.com 43 Northwest Machine Tool Expo , the ONLY machining and metal manufacturing event in the Pacific Northwest, will be held on May 8 and 9, 2019 at the Oregon Convention Center . Mark your calendar for this unique regional event that offers a convenient and efficient way to gain exposure to customers and prospects, generate leads, close sales, and introduce new products. MAY 8 & 9, 2019 Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR co-located with SAVE THE DATE For further event details visit www.machinetoolexpos.com For exhibiting information contact Joyce Lortz at 800-827-8009 x4424 or jlortz@facilitiesexpo.com But it’s not just about bringing in the millennials (and soon, Generation Z); after all, things are changing so quickly that much of what someone learned in school may be nearly outdat- ed within a few years. So while bringing in new employees can be beneficial, manufacturers should also look at current em- ployees who understand the business and the market. If those employees are excited to learn and mix their experience with new digital strategies, they may be the ideal candidate. A few best practices for attracting tech-savvy employees and adapting existing employees: • Give equal opportunity to all, regardless of tenure. The age of an employee should also not be a factor; rather, the willingness to learn should be the deter- minant. • Adopt a continuous learning program; as-you-go learning will be more successful than a trial-by-fire approach down the road. • Pair newer, digital natives with tenured, experienced employees so they can learn from one another and transfer knowledge. SUPPLIERS To stay agile, resilient and responsive, manufacturers need to be able to easily communicate with suppliers and partners across geographies before integrating a product into their de- livery supply chain. Today, manufacturers are also extending their value chains to external collaborators for everything from product design and development to sales and service. How- ever, many of these functions still operate within a silo rather than working together harmoniously. Digitization brings down those walls, so that manufacturers, suppliers, collaborators, transporters, and yes, even customers, become one seamlessly integrated ecosystem that is fully transparent. There are three main ways the digital transformation will change the supplier relationship forever (and for the better): • Procurement. Closer connections can be formed with suppliers and partners to aid the planning pro- cess, improve sourcing, actively manage supplier risk, and boost collaboration. This helps support the manufacturer’s long-term plans for growth, innova- tion, and sustainability. • Transparency. Manufacturers will not just react to disruptions but be able to anticipate them, modeling the network, creating “what-if” scenarios, and ad- justing the supply chain immediately as conditions change. • Analytics. With immediate access to data, manu- facturers gain an clear understanding of how well they are handling operations with metrics related to speed, inventory, and finances. The future is now. The digital transformation is upon us, and it is giving SMMs the opportunity to build their own smart fa- cilities in order to better serve their customers, engage their employees, and collaborate with suppliers. Those who embrace this fourth industrial revolution—smart manufacturing—are sure to thrive, while those who do not may be left behind. If you haven’t already done so, consider re-investing in your busi- ness through digitization, and start manufacturing smarter, not harder.