If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that flexibility has become more of a priority for nearly everyone. Flexibility is about choice, embracing innovation and alternative operating methods so our daily lives can become more efficient, more effective, and more satisfying. So why has this simple concept – flexibility – eluded the manufacturing sector for so many years?
The idea of “flexibility as a competitive advantage” has existed in manufacturing for several decades now. Companies have tried to cross-train human workers, so people weren’t constrained to a specific line. They created a common product platform or chassis so that multiple variations of a product could be made in a single plant. They distributed their production across various facilities, so they weren’t overly reliant on one particular factory or one single country.
