A 2011 Global Manufacturing Outlook Survey conducted by KPMG shows manufacturers plan to continue growing while focusing on managing volatility.
The audit, advisory and tax services company presented its findings at a roundtable event hosted by the Marquette University Center for Supply Chain Management at the university’s Haggerty Art Museum on Thursday.
The survey included 220 executives worldwide from a range of company sizes and sectors, and was completed in June and July 2011 in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit. It included automotive suppliers, but not the automotive or transportation sectors.
According to the survey, 78 percent of manufacturers were optimistic or very optimistic about the next 12 to 24 months.
During that time, 44 percent of those surveyed planned to drive primary growth with strategic alliances, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions.
“Overwhelmingly the respondents came back with the same response—our focus right now is on growth,” said Marty Phillips, KPMG advisory principal for business performance services, who hosted the roundtable.
The top five trends in diversified industrials were a shift to growth, input cost volatility, collaboration with customers and suppliers, a continued trend toward “near shoring,” and companies re-evaluating the fulfillment of the value chain.
Respondents expressed many total cost and total risk concerns, Phillips said.
Patrick Bartling, vice president of global operations for P&H Mining Equipment Inc., Mark Cotteleer, a professor and leader of the Center for Supply Chain Management, Gus Gaeta, advisory principal of business effectiveness at KPMG and James Merwin, director of supply planning at Milwaukee Tool were represented on the panel.
They gave their views on the survey results and asked for manufacturer feedback from the audience. Many mentioned planning for volatility is top of mind.
“There is certainly evidence that manufacturing is coming back,” Cotteleer said.
