When the economy slows down, it is easy to fall into a wait-and-see mode. Investments are postponed, projects are put on hold, and the focus shifts to keeping costs down. But for companies that dare to think differently, the economic downturn is not just a challenge, it is an opportunity. An opportunity to streamline production, strengthen competitiveness, and build capacity for the next upturn.
In an episode of our podcast Beyond Tomorrow, Cecilia Jacobsson and Rigmor Dalin discuss how industrial companies can take concrete steps toward streamlining and digitization without investing millions. Here we summarize five strategic areas that make a difference, even when resources are limited.
1. Assess the current situation and identify bottlenecks
The first step is to understand where time, energy, and money are actually being wasted. Many companies have access to vast amounts of data from machines and systems, but lack a clear picture of what affects efficiency. By measuring causes of downtime, analyzing OEE, and visualizing flows, patterns become visible and improvements become possible.
An example: A company facing declining order flows chose to map its production cycles instead of cutting staff. The result? By optimizing internal flows and reducing setup times by 15 percent, they increased output with existing resources. All without new machines.
2. Standardize and simplify processes
Variation is often a greater enemy than technology. When different shifts work in different ways, differences in quality and efficiency arise. The solution is to create clear standards and use digital work instructions that make it easy to do things right. This provides stability, reduces errors, and frees up time.
Data ownership is also key here. Who is responsible for the data? How is it used? Establishing a structure for this is an important part of simplification.
3. Take control of data and ownership
Data is useless without context. To act on insights, you need to know where the data comes from, what it means, and how it should be used. Process owners play a key role here. By linking data to processes and responsibilities, you create a foundation for fact-based decisions and the next step in the journey.
4. Precision maintenance: from reactive to proactive
Waiting until something breaks down is expensive. By analyzing historical operating data, following trends, and setting alarm limits, companies can begin planning maintenance before problems arise. This does not require advanced AI or new systems; often, it is enough to use existing data more intelligently.
As Rigmor puts it, "The best sensor in the factory is still the people on the floor." Culture and commitment are just as important as technology. When operators are involved in improvement work, both knowledge and motivation increase.
5. Start with low-hanging fruit
Efficiency is not about starting with the largest system. It's about starting where the ROI is clear. A customer case study shows how a company replaced paper-based procedures with digital checklists and real-time monitoring. In two weeks, the solution was Location. The result? Shorter setup times, fewer quality deviations, and hours of administrative time saved without replacing a single system.
Next step: from efficiency to future-proofing
Once the foundations are in place at Location , the door Location to the next level: connecting systems for a seamless flow of information, building digital twins for simulation, and using AI for optimization. Technologies such as VR and AR can create new ways to train operators without stopping production. But it all starts with acting now with the right strategy and the right tools.
It's not about waiting for the right moment. It's about acting now.
