Manufacturing innovation

Introduction

Businesses and retail customers have an ever-increasing range of products to choose from, so manufacturing businesses face constant competition in order to retain or increase their market share.

Manufacturers therefore need to be flexible and to consider new ways of working as well as new technologies that will allow them to respond rapidly and cost-effectively to customer demand.

Businesses can introduce innovation in manufacturing to a wide range of areas, including new processes, new materials and the use of new equipment. It can improve the quality of your output and the health of your business.

This guide explains how manufacturing businesses can benefit from innovation and outlines the different areas in which it can be introduced. It covers important new manufacturing technologies, shows you how to protect your innovations and identifies sources of help and advice in this area.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• The benefits of manufacturing innovation
• How manufacturers can use innovation
• Just-in-time production
• E-business and manufacturing
• Key manufacturing technologies
• Clusters as drivers of innovation
• Where to get help with manufacturing innovation
• Protecting innovative ideas and practices
• Here's how lean manufacturing systems increased our productivity

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