Internet strategies for manufacturing

A conference with the above title was held in London last November on the day after the government published a book Manufacturing in the Knowledge Driven Economy, covering similar ground. Speakers from manufacturing and consultancy organizations told of their experience in adopting knowledge based strategies in their business, as distinct from their commercial, operations. Some aspects dealt with relationships with suppliers and customers in design, purchasing, sales and scheduling of products and components. There was also seen to be tremendous scope for intranet activities, both within individual plants and between a company’s different manufacturing plants.