The best manufacturers are always hungry to learn more. Why? Because they can’t afford to stop. Here are the 10 best blogs and publications to put on your reading list.
Australian manufacturers need an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, ideas and inspiration. Without that, it’s hard to keep pace in a world that changes so rapidly. You not only need to know about the innovations and industry changes that impact you, but those that affect your customers too.
Here’s something that impacts you and your customers: SSCC pallet labels! Badly done, they’re one of the biggest problems in retail supply chains. Download this free whitepaper for simple fixes. A must for anyone who palletises product to send to customers. Download Now
So, where can you go to learn about the innovations and industry changes that impact you and your customers? Here are 10 blogs, publications and websites – listed in alphabetical order – that are worthwhile adding to your reading list right now:
Accenture Technology Innovation Blog
Whether you’re seeking the latest news on Artificial Intelligence, Big Data or the Industrial Internet of Things, Accenture’s Technology Innovation is a blog for manufacturers who want to keep abreast of the tech world. There’s a wide range of articles from thinkers that offer unique insights and opinions on emerging technology and its place in the world. (You can also check out about IoT here, here, here and it’s impact in the food industry here.)
Visit Accenture’s Innovation Blog
AFN
Australian Food News, or AFN, contains a wide variety of industry news and food information. With its tagline “food for thought”, the online publication covers new products, consumer behaviour, research, marketing, supermarkets, nutrition and health, all written for key decision-makers across food manufacturing, retail, distribution, education, research and government.
AME
If the words “lean”, “continuous improvement” and “operational excellence” mean anything to you, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) should be your next stop. The not-for-profit association delivers a range of resources to help Australian businesses of all sizes on their journey to enterprise excellence. With the founding chapter based in the United States, AME hosts global conferences featuring a line-up of keynote speakers that, in 2018, will include the Manager for Continuous Improvement at Qantas.
Food and Beverage Magazine
This is the one source that anyone in the food and beverage industry should turn to for the latest news, advice, and discussions. Covering business, technology, solutions and more, think of it as the ABC News for food and drink manufacturers. Its sister publication Manufacturers’ Monthly is also a must-read.
Food Processing/WNIFT&M
An industry stalwart, the What’s New in Food Technology & Manufacturing (WNIFT&M) magazine and its digital incarnation, foodprocessing.com.au, cover the latest products and technology in short, sharp pieces along with case studies and in-depth industry trend and research features for food manufacturing, packaging and design professionals.
Visit the Food Processing website
IBISWorld
As Australia’s largest provider of industry-based research, there’s a lot we can all learn from IBISWorld. Its reports bring together a breadth and depth of economic, demographic and government data. They’re not free by any means, but they are a valuable investment if you are looking into new markets or want to know what’s really moving and shaking in your specific industry.
IndustryWeek
No list of manufacturing information sources would be complete without IndustryWeek. It might be written for US manufacturers, but that doesn’t stop IndustryWeek from being a valuable hub of information, advice, and ideas on all things manufacturing related.
Packaging News
PKN is the magazine for Australia’s packaging industry. So if your product has packaging, you should be reading this magazine. It provides a tonne of great articles with expert opinion and business advice, industry reports, reviews of the latest product and more. Together with its sister publication, Food & Drink Business, PKN is also behind the top industry event PKN and Food & Drink L!VE, which brings together leaders to discuss the future of the industry (you can read all about the 2017 event here).
PWC
The thing we love about PWC is that it doesn’t hold back from sharing its expertise and research. One click onto PWC’s website will inevitably lead to hours spent devouring industrial manufacturing trends and the latest research on digital factories. Plus, you can be confident that everything you read is backed by research and expertise.
The Manufacturer
This publication is a fountain of knowledge for manufacturers the world over. And we mean all manufacturers – The Manufacturer covers everything from aerospace and shipbuilding to food and drink, healthcare and manufacturing technologies. When you’ve finished with the Australian news, switch the website to the UK, Indian, Latin American and US editions for overseas insights.
IN CLOSING
There are two more information sources we also believe are worthwhile:
GS1 Australia
Whether you make wine or widgets, every manufacturer needs to know the GS1 Standards and how to apply them. (It’s one of the reasons we’re a long-standing GS1 Australia Strategic Alliance Partner.) GS1 Australia is a not-for-profit organisation offering a never-ending supply of information, practical resources and training to help Australia businesses use the standards to create efficiencies in their supply chains and overall business. Not sure where to begin? The online Help Centre has it covered.
Visit the GS1 Australia website.
Matthews Blog
Okay, we’re biased (and this is not in alphabetical order), but we have it on good authority that the Matthews Blog is a must-read for Australian manufacturers. Written by our experts, including CEO Mark Dingley and guests from across the industry, blog articles cover everything from AI and IIOT to manufacturing metrics and equipment reviews. But don’t stop at the blog, we also offer free whitepapers on topics such as implementing Operational Equipment Efficiency and Lean. Oh and there’s case studies and infographics too. And did we mention it’s all free?
You’ve already found our blog, so take some time to explore our resource library too. (It’s also free.)
Have we missed any? What are you reading that you think we should add to our list?
Here’s something you also definitely add to your reading list: a guide on how to avoid recalls due to packaging and labelling faults. This free whitepaper looks at what you can do to minimise the risks of recalls and how to easily avoid them with low-cost improvements to your manufacturing processes. Download Now
Image credit: iStock / clu
Trent Munro
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