According to IDC international head Christopher Holmes Asia-Pacific manufacturers will look toward new technology, new markets, and lower cost operations in order to keep their head above water in 2013, according to research firm IDC.

In its latest manufacturing insights market report IDC said the next 12 months would be difficult for APAC manufacturers, and companies would need to make changes to stay competitive.

Holmes said the shift toward setting up in different parts of the world with low cost centres would be central to many strategies.

“From a technology perspective, the shift to supporting multiple plants/operations in different parts of the world is going to require the organisation to think about how they make decisions, and what information they need to make those decisions,” he said.

“Getting the information from different parts of the world in a format that will allow for fast, effective decision making will be key for 2013.”

Holmes said business analytics would be the “new technology of choice” in 2013, with “mobility, cloud, and social business” all attracting more focus.

Source: Manufacturers Monthly