The Dutch manufacturing industry has an innovative character. This is partly because it has an open development chain, but also because there is a lot of collaboration between parties that are all specialised in part of the process.

By collaborating, you can achieve more because ideas and new insights are shared. In the manufacturing industry teamwork is essential if you want to remain innovative.

The importance of innovation

Due to ever increasing competition, it is important to stand out. Competition based on prices is almost impossible because of up and coming economies such as China and low-wage countries. To remain distinctive it is essential to keep innovating.

This differentiation not only is the result of the development of new products (product innovation), but also of improving and developing new production methods and processes (process innovation).

Besides products and processes, innovation also improves labour productivity and customer service. The latter will lead to higher customer satisfaction.

Innovation in the manufacturing industry

The Netherlands is an innovative country. According to the European Innovation Scoreboard, the Netherlands has been leader in the area of innovation since 2016.

In the Dutch manufacturing industry innovation also plays an important role. On the one hand because smart industry (the excessive digitalisation of machines, production means and  organisations) is embraced, but also because there is ever-increasing collaboration between several parties, each with its own specialisation, that work together with the end customer on innovative products.

The use of an innovation partner

By continuing to optimise products and processes, you are able to strengthen your market position and therefore better able to fulfil customer demand. In order to maintain innovation, the R&D department must be successful at all times. It is therefore recommendable to involve an external innovation partner.

A good partner in the field of innovation is an extra shell at the R&D department. They know everything there is to know about the daily routine in your organisation and because they operate externally this has several advantages:

• They provide a new and fresh look on your organisation and your products;
• They see new opportunities that previously remained hidden;
• They are able to solve bottlenecks because they look from a certain distance;
• They often bring in additional specialisations.

In short, an external innovation partner is a good addition to your R&D department. By collaborating, you will get more results and more success.

Outsource development for the purpose of innovation

As system developer for the manufacturing industry, we notice that OEM developers are good at doing research and coming up with innovations to make products even more effective and efficient. However, large scale development of these innovations and the organisation of the development chain often lag behind.

In order to keep up the innovation level you could start collaborating with a partner that can offer support with the development. They will make sure that new developments can be produced in series and they will also provide insight into the new development chain.

Collaboration with a system developer offers you the following advantages:

• You can focus primarily on research;
• Innovations are implemented more rapidly;
• More possibilities to do research before new innovations enter the market;
• A shorter time-to-market of new innovations.

PostenDekker has considerable experience as system developer in the manufacturing industry. We work together with various organisations for which we generate new business. Curious? Contact us!