Your MES, SCADA, and Historian systems were built for monitoring, tracking, and automating, and they do a great job of that.
But they weren’t designed to unlock true productivity.
In order to connect strategy with execution, uncover hidden inefficiencies, and drive continuous improvement in real time, you need something that builds on top of what you already have.
Global manufacturing is at a pivotal point. In some regions, output is trending down — North America, for example, saw a quarter-over-quarter decline of 0.4% at the end of 2024. Meanwhile, production is climbing in other regions, with output rising 1.9% in China and 1.3% across Asia and Oceania.
Even as companies pour money into AI projects, data lakes, and automation, results remain uneven. And every day spent without clear visibility into performance is costing you — in excess downtime, avoidable waste, and missed yield targets.
The problem? Many manufacturers operate without a clear, connected view of where productivity is gained or lost.
The truth is, manufacturers don’t need more data — they need a new way to act on it. One that connects people, processes, and priorities in real time across every layer of the business.
They need Total Productivity, delivered through a practical, easily implemented approach that builds on your existing systems and delivers from day one.
Total Productivity doesn’t require a technical overhaul. It can be achieved using an incremental, quick-to-deploy operating model that connects your existing industrial tech stack –– MES, SCADA, Historian and more – into a real-time productivity engine. One that bridges the gap between raw data and real performance, turning corporate KPIs into operator actions in real time.
To help you understand how this works and get started, we’ve created a Definitive Guide to Total Productivity. Learn how to turn your current systems into a powerful productivity engine and drive measurable results across your organization.
It can be achieved through a Productivity Management System (PMS).
A PMS connects your shop floor and top floor in real time. It surfaces hidden inefficiencies, eliminates the need for manual data wrangling, and gives every level of your business the tools to act fast and smart — without relying on best guesses.
Instead of pulling static reports and hoping they lead to insight, a PMS arms your teams with AI-powered, context-rich recommendations they can act on immediately.
What once took weeks of analysis? You can automate it with a PMS.
What used to rely solely on experience? You can now support with data-validated decisions — without sidelining operator expertise.
When you make productivity a system, not a hope:
- Your operators stop reacting and start preventing. They get clear, actionable guidance on machine settings, maintenance schedules, and process parameters — when it matters most.
- Your engineers stop guessing and start fine-tuning. AI runs simulations, reveals exactly where OEE losses, downtime, and inefficiencies are hiding, and helps optimize for what matters — output, cost, and sustainability.
- Your leaders stop repeating goals and start seeing results. A PMS translates corporate priorities into measurable, line-level improvements.
Think about it: you wouldn’t rely on spreadsheets to control your inventory or your automation. So why would you rely on passive systems to manage the most important lever in your business — productivity?
If your goals include cost reduction, better energy use, higher throughput, yield improvements, and faster decision-making, the answer isn’t more dashboards. It’s a system that turns data into dollars. One that turns productivity into your competitive edge.
You already have the tech stack. Now it’s time to make it pay off.
Want to see what true productivity looks like?
Check out The Definitive Guide to Total Productivity to learn:
- Why MES, SCADA, and Historian systems are essential, but not enough to unlock total productivity on their own
- How a PMS fills the gaps they leave behind — with real-world examples from manufacturers already using it
- What it takes to connect strategy and execution in real time (and what happens when you do)
- How to turn productivity from a lagging metric into a competitive advantage
This is the playbook for manufacturers ready to make productivity their strongest performance lever.
Read the guide to take the first step toward a more connected, data-driven operation.
