According to the campaign, technicians and engineers responsible for building and maintaining a supply chain are the ‘unsung heroes’ of the manufacturing sector and will play a critical role in managing parts and materials shortages in 2023.
A Deloitte study said supply chain resiliency represents a major source of concern for manufacturers. Of the executives surveyed, 72% believe the persistent shortage of critical materials and the ongoing supply chain disruptions present the most significant uncertainty for the industry in the coming year.
Parts shortages can have severe implications for manufacturing organisations in terms of downtime, lost production and lost revenue. Yet the people responsible for building and maintaining a supply chain so that unplanned stoppages are minimised often go unrecognised.
EU Automation managing director Darren Halford said: “We want to shine a spotlight on the role that so many people perform every day to keep the wheels of industry turning. This could be a factory manager, maintenance engineer, or procurement specialist: we’re looking for the real problem solvers who can think on their feet to get things back up and running while others are still scratching their heads. They are the unsung heroes in our industry.”
The campaign encourages workers to nominate their own factory hero. EU Automation will then arrange for those nominated to receive a Factory Hero certificate with a personalised message from the person who suggested them.
“Although we work in the automation space supplying rare, reconditioned and unused parts to companies worldwide, we recognise that it is people who make the difference in our organisation,” Halford continued. “We focus on supporting our customers personally and building lasting relationships with them. Now we want to encourage our customers to give credit to the individuals within their own teams who are building the relationships that will make their company more agile and more competitive in the face of increasing supply chain challenges.”