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ManageMent www.us-tech.com


Operational Intelligence in a World Full of Variables


By Margaret Kato, Head of Global Operations, Anders Electronics T


oday, designing new prod- ucts and buying and selling on a global level is more or


less “mission critical” if compa- nies are to achieve what they need to survive: grow sales, con- trol costs in the supply chain, and employ the skills necessary to keep deploying new technolo- gies to build smarter devices that will improve lives. It is particularly true for


high-tech companies serving sec- tors such as healthcare, wellbe- ing, leisure, smart cities, au- tomation, and technologies to care for the environment. Ar- guably, the facilities in place, such as trade agreements, com- munication links and travel con- nections, make this easier than at any time in history. On the other hand, a complex


blend of political and economic in- terests, mixed with social and


technological change, is constant- ly swirling. By operating intelli- gently, however, we can make the most of the opportunities and minimize the threats.


Changing Market Patterns To protect its business post-


Brexit, Anders set up a new dis- tribution hub in the Netherlands in 2019. This should help the company to continue to serve its customers in the EU as the trad- ing position settles down and be- comes better understood. It has also strengthened its


operations in Asia with the ac- quisition of Selectronic Ltd in 2020. The company’s Asia opera- tions are based in Dongguan, the manufacturing center and emerging high-tech innovation hub in the region. Its presence there enables it to work effectively with manu-


IPTE Depaneling Stress-free Production


facturing partners and cus- tomers in Asia, benefiting from the business performance advan- tages gained by working in the same time, and language, as sup- pliers and partners in the region. But China, today, must com-


pete with other manufacturing destinations for inward foreign investment such as ASEAN countries. There are strong cases for onshoring, as well as out- sourcing to locations, such as central and eastern Europe and the Americas, India where elec- tronic manufacturing services are thriving as a result. Anders’ work with manufac-


turing partners in China also now takes place against the backdrop of the China-U.S. and China-India trade wars, which have brought complications such as rising import duties and lengthening customs delays. These factors profoundly af-


EXPERTS IN FACTORY AUTOMATION


fect companies’ decisions regard- ing their supply chains, to pro- tect them as much as possible in their target markets. Anders is engaging with local companies in India to explore the opportuni- ties and the best ways to support potential partners and cus- tomers. Connecting like this with companies around the world is one of the most effective ways to evaluate market opportunities and risks, to get the information needed to make smart decisions.


Low stress High quality output


Routing and/or sawing Reduced investment


EasyRouter off-line, low volume


TopRouter off-line, medium mix


Automatic tool change Long autonomy


Fast cutting speed High output


Clear cut Outstanding quality


High performance Best return on investment


Cultural Understanding Anders’ business mix is


FlexRouter II in-line, high volume, high mix


SpeedRouter in-line, high volume


IPTE America LLC 5935 Shiloh Road East - suite 100 Alpharetta GA 30005 USA T: +1 (0) 678 807 0067 x101 F: +1 (0) 678 807 0072 E: sales.usa@ipte.com


IPTE America LLC 6245 Shiloh Road East, Suite B Alpharetta GA 30005 USA T: +1 (0) 678 807 0067 x 101 F: +1 (0) 678 807 0072 E: sales.usa@ipte.com


WWW.IPTE.COM


strategically designed to put the customer at the center, with a mantra of “easy to do business with,” at its core. Engineering and supply chain account for nearly 50 percent of its organiza- tion across the globe. Providing customers with the expert care and attention they require to take their product from design to development and through to dis- tribution requires skilled indi- viduals and a personal approach — in their local language. The cosmopolitan nature of


the Anders team, including those based at the U.K. office as well as in strategic locations through- out the world, provides unique insights and flexibility to work across cultures and understand the factors that drive political


and economic changes. It enables the company to tailor support for its customers in many countries. The pandemic has tested the


ability of businesses everywhere to adapt to new ways of working and changing market behavior. From Anders’ point of view, mar- kets for embedded equipment des- tined for sectors such as hospitali- ty, entertainment, building, and retail have been severely affected. The company has partnered


with customers in these sectors for many years, so it acted to pre- serve those links by engaging with them to help overcome the challenges and realign the sup- ply chain where necessary. On the other hand, industrial


automation products, medical and healthcare technology, and coffee machines, have remained stable or have even grown. The rise in online shopping, the increased fo- cus on mental and physical well- being, driven by the strict lock- downs in place around the world, has powered an increasing de- mand for embedded products for warehouse automation, which will likely continue to grow. Working from home has


been critical to the survival of many companies. Anders’ team been working remotely since March 2020. Fortunately, it had already begun configuring its IT infrastructure for occasional re- mote working. The company was able to leverage that head start on the situation and its teams adapted quickly; like many, keeping in touch with colleagues, customers, and manufacturing partners by learning to use videoconferencing at home. With so many variables in


the mix, and the ever-present prospect of unexpected events such as Brexit and COVID-19 planning for the future may seem futile. The reality is that a properly conceived plan should be flexible and adaptive, as are people. Working together to over- come challenges brings us closer together and makes everyone


more resilient. Contact: Anders Electronics,


PLC, Kings Studios, 43-45 Kings Terrace, London, NW1 0JR, UK % +44-0-207-388-7171 E-mail: info@andersdx.com Web: www.andersdx.com r


July, 2021


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