CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA – January 30, 2020 –  Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert,  Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., reaffirms that advancements in manufacturing during the 2010’s has positioned manufacturing for exponential growth in the 2020’s. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.

“There was so much advancement going on in manufacturing during the last decade that it is almost a blur.  The Amazon Effect, Skills Gap and Digital Revolution have all uniquely impacted manufacturing and the supply chain,” Ms. Anderson comments. 

The Amazon Effect has pushed manufacturers to accommodate ecommerce-like orders – more frequent and smaller.  Rapid delivery has also become the new normal.  “The Amazon effect highlighted the need to raise the bar on the customer experience. 24/7 accessibility, customized product and service with a quick turnaround and easy returns have become commonplace, creating a shift in inventory strategy and an increased interest in advanced manufacturing,” she said.

The Skills Gap has grown over the last decade, exacerbated by the low unemployment rate.  “Manufacturers are in a perfect storm, the Baby Boomers with a significant knowledge-base are retiring at the rate of 10,000 a day.  That, coupled with the advancements in technology that have changed the types of jobs in the sector, make it difficult to find the right people with the skill sets needed,” she noted.

The Digital Revolution transformed manufacturing. “There was little ramp up to 3-D printing, IoT (Internet of Things), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics and Automation.  It was almost like one day they were proven and appeared.  This took many by surprise and was a little intimidating.  Yet, those who have taken time to integrate digitization into their organization are already seeing results,” she said. 

In 2020, the customer experience and future proofing manufacturing and the supply chain will fast-track proactive manufacturers to stand ahead of the competition and position them for exponential growth. “There are opportunities to export. And, while in the last decade we thought outsourcing overseas was the answer, the trade wars and tariffs along with recent requirements that China put into place has been giving manufacturers pause. Future-proofing requires looking at the business at 360° and driving change,” she concluded. 

Ms. Anderson was recently appointed to the Department of Commerce, District Export Council of the Inland Empire. Her collection of 2020 Predictions from Manufacturing & Logistics Executives will be released in February 2020.

About LMA Consulting Group – Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD

Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation.  She focuses on maximizing the customer experience and enabling profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. Ms. Anderson is a recognized Supply Chain thought leader by SelectHub, named a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by arketi group, 50 ERP Influencer by Washington-Frank, a top 46 most influential in Supply Chain by SAP and named a top woman influencer by Solutions Review. She recently published, I’ve Been Thinking, 101 strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits. A regular content contributor on topics including a superior customer experience with SIOP, advancing innovation and making the supply chain resilient, Ms. Anderson is regularly interviewed and quoted by publications such as Industry Week, tED magazine and the Wall Street Journal.  For information, to sign up for her Profit Through PeopleTM Newsletter or for a copy of her book, visit lma-consultinggroup.com.            

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Originally published on PR Newswire on January 30, 2020