{"id":10254,"date":"2022-06-21T09:41:38","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T16:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/?p=10254"},"modified":"2022-06-21T09:44:58","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T16:44:58","slug":"how-manufacturers-can-beat-the-summer-slowdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/how-manufacturers-can-beat-the-summer-slowdown","title":{"rendered":"How Manufacturers Can Beat the Summer Slowdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10255″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]June, July and August are usually slower months for manufacturing activity, and it\u2019s easy to see why. It\u2019s beautiful outside, the kids are out of school, pretty much everyone has at least a few vacation days planned \u2013 often at the same time \u2013 and those left on the factory floor would honestly rather daydream about camping or visiting the beach than order fulfillment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The summer slowdown in manufacturing may be natural, but it doesn\u2019t mean factory operations have to come to a standstill for a quarter of the year. Before checking out of work figuratively and literally this summer, leaders should ask themselves a few questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

How would a loss of output affect your business?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What can you do to keep workers engaged and, in turn, maintain manufacturing productivity and efficiency?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

How does your organization measure productivity and foster collaboration between planning and operations?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Production delays and a loss of output don\u2019t usually queue manufacturers up for success later in the year. Fortunately, there are a few things manufacturers can do to keep workers engaged and prevent a slump in productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Summer Slowdown State of Mind<\/span><\/h2>\n

Manufacturers are often resigned to accepting a summer slowdown (or slump) in manufacturing activity but, in some workplaces, that slowdown is by design.<\/span><\/p>\n

Henry Ford launched his <\/span>first assembly line<\/span><\/a> in 1913 and quickly realized the line couldn\u2019t run efficiently or safely if a single worker was absent. Ford recognized the value of scheduling downtime every summer to evaluate manufacturing processes and, as an added benefit, boost worker morale and productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The approach worked so well that it\u2019s now commonplace in the US automotive manufacturing industry. Ford Motor, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and <\/span>General Motors<\/span><\/a> all practice a traditional summer shutdown, although <\/span>the duration tends to vary<\/span><\/a> depending on market demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ford Motors may have been one of the first manufacturers to embrace the summer slowdown, but it certainly wasn\u2019t the last. In Germany, Volkswagen sent <\/span>thousands of workers<\/span><\/a> from its factories in Wolfsburg to their hometowns in Italy until the 1980s. When the mercury soared, manufacturers in England gave everyone a holiday and the trend gave rise to Blackpool and other idyllic beach communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Sweden, the summer slowdown has another name. In the 1930s, labor unions negotiated a two-week vacation for factory workers known as industry holiday, or <\/span>industrisemester<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though Ford Motors and other manufacturers have found ways to use the summer slowdown to their advantage, they\u2019ve also been known to cancel planned shutdowns to keep up with high demand. Manufacturers that can\u2019t afford a loss in productivity during the summer months need to get creative, and the best way to do that is with data-driven insights into why the summer slump occurs in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Science Behind the Summer Slowdown in Manufacturing<\/span><\/h2>\n

The summer slowdown mentality can be chalked up to family vacations and daydreaming, in part, but there\u2019s also a physiological component. Temperature changes have been shown to have a direct impact on worker productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The average summer temperature across the US is 71.9 \u00b0F, and that\u2019s actually the sweet spot for worker productivity. Worker productivity <\/span>begins to decrease<\/span><\/a> at 73 \u00b0F, per the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, but think twice before blasting the air conditioning. Another study from Cornell University found <\/span>error rates<\/span><\/a> jump by 25% when temperatures drop below 68 \u00b0F.<\/span><\/p>\n

Workers aren\u2019t checking out just because they have to get their secret rub recipe ready for the neighborhood\u2019s BBQ contest; it\u2019s human nature to slow down as the temperature rises. Then there\u2019s the employee burnout component to consider.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some economists are <\/span>making a case<\/span><\/a> for a four-day workweek. Shorter workweeks, they argue, are good for employee productivity and creativity, and could be an invaluable tool for worker retention amid the <\/span>Great Resignation<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Manufacturers Can Maximize Productivity During the Summer<\/span><\/h2>\n

A summer slowdown or traditional shutdown isn\u2019t an option for many manufacturers this year. Factory activity in the US expanded at the <\/span>slowest pace<\/span><\/a> in 1.5 years in April 2022, largely because there were fewer workers on the plant floor. COVID-19 shutdowns in China, cost inflation, supply chain constraints and logistics have also been a challenge, and many manufacturers need to make the most of the summer months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of accepting a loss in productivity this summer, take some downtime for yourself to think about the technologies your business is using, how solutions are deployed daily and opportunities to improve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Putting manufacturing data to good use<\/span><\/h3>\n

Manufacturers have a lot of data on operational history; now is the time to take a look at it. What do the summer months typically mean for your factory\u2019s output? Is there a correlation between time-off requests, warmer weather, supplier relationships and productivity?<\/span><\/p>\n

If worker shortages and employee retention are obvious issues, it may be time to make some changes. Fewer hours and paid time off could improve morale, help keep workers on task and, in turn, boost productivity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For many manufacturers, a planned shutdown is essential for maintenance and turnarounds, but a long, traditional approach may not be the best solution anymore. Many companies have global footprints and work with suppliers around the world. Closing the entire organization down over the same period might not make sense. Instead, consider staggering the shutdown over the year with one-week closures every quarter instead of two to five weeks during the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Connect the shop floor with QAD Production Execution<\/span><\/h3>\n

To ensure consistent employee engagement and efficiency levels, enterprises can implement <\/span>QAD Production Execution<\/span><\/a>. Vacation time and that summer slowdown mentality can\u2019t be totally avoided, but manufacturers can position themselves for success with sufficient and accurate insights into planned production that make it easy to effectively respond to customer demands, changes in inventory, equipment issues and supply chain constraints.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cQAD Production Execution includes the technological capability to communicate to shop floor machines and support a range of environments,\u201d said Glenn Graney, QAD\u2019s Marketing Director for the Industrial and High Tech markets, in an earlier <\/span>blog post<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Manufacturers can use QAD Production Execution to prepare for the \u201cshutdown\u201d without sacrificing productivity or efficiency. It ties ERP and shop floor operational processes together in real time. Major features include:<\/span><\/p>\n