These days, it can seem as though every other headline or news report has something to do with the global pandemic or its after-effects. With so much COVID-related content flooding the media-sphere, it can sometimes feel like listening to a song stuck on endless repeat. The result? It can be tempting to assume you’ve already heard all the relevant information or to tune out entirely.
While this is perfectly natural, it’s precisely the wrong time to stop paying attention. Why? Because in the wake of something as world-changing as the global pandemic, it takes time for insights to distill and trend lines to form. And it’s precisely these late-breaking insights and trend lines that are most worth waiting for. This article will examine four post-pandemic trends that companies should be paying attention to.
Domestic Manufacturing Has the Potential to Rebalance the Books
Decades of offshoring have wreaked havoc with US supply chain and labor markets. The practice has created massive inequities across sectors and geographies, causing once-prosperous towns to go bust and mid-wage job opportunities to dry up. This, in turn, has contributed to a highly polarized labor market and political landscape that weakens the US economy and global position.
But according to research by McKinsey & Co., domestic manufacturing can play a central role in rebalancing the books by fueling sustainable, inclusive growth, addressing pervasive supply chain issues, and driving global competitiveness. At Pivot International, our 320,000 square feet of global manufacturing capacity (including three locations in the heart of the American Midwest) helps companies and local communities strike a new, more sustainable balance between the benefits of offshoring and domestic manufacturing. With nearly a half-century of experience in supply chain solutions and advanced NPD expertise across fourteen industries and six markets, our teams will work closely with yours to defy disruption and turn your product vision into a profitable reality.
Machine-Intelligence Technologies Can Make an Industry-Leading Difference
Companies in the industrial and manufacturing sectors that leverage machine learning are the clear winners across multiple KPIs. These include efficiency, cost, revenue, responsiveness, customer experience, and environmental impact. The result is that companies that have taken digital evolution seriously are 3-4x more likely to lead the market than those slower to adapt. At Pivot, we deploy the power of Industry X.0, combining state-of-the-art digital technologies to deliver industry-leading outcomes for our clients.
Players in the Sporting Goods Market Needs to Adapt Their Business Models
Companies need to be tracking five trends: digital evolution, an increased emphasis on sustainability, better integration between social media and commerce, the restructuring of distribution channels, and innovative supply chain strategies. While these trends may seem like old news, they’ve become imperative for competing in a post-pandemic market. (Which means that many players in the space will need to adapt their business models.) The success of Digital Concepts Inc., a global leader in the high-end sports and fitness industry (and one of Pivot’s nine subsidiaries), owes much of its success to its ability to foresee the five trends covered here and adapt accordingly.
Healthcare is Coming Home as Delivery Models are Revolutionized
Research indicates that as much as $265 billion worth of care services could shift from clinical settings to home delivery. Research also reveals that Generation Z members face unprecedented behavioral-health challenges, implying the need for new healthcare models and resources for supporting them.
The implications here are that home-delivered healthcare and the medtech that enable it may be a revolutionary answer to the shifting needs of the global populace while creating value across a vast network of stakeholders. Among Pivot’s most celebrated and influential products are the medtech innovations we’ve developed. The Peek Retina, for example, recipient of a European Design Award for Best Design for Humanity, is a smartphone-compatible ophthalmoscope that brings vision care to those in 3rd world countries. And on the behavioral health front, Pivot’s creation of a Patient Prescription Adherence device is helping to end the opioid crisis right here at home.
As we continue to make collective sense of a post-pandemic world and marketplace, new insights will emerge and new trend lines will continue to form. Companies that continue to pay attention, separating signal from noise, will stand a far better chance of successfully competing on the global stage.
If you’re looking for an industry-leading supply chain, NPD, and manufacturing partner, Pivot is the answer. Our in-house DFM expertise, company-owned facilities, flexible manufacturing options, and highly collaborative approach will take your product through a seamless NPD process and successful launch. If you’d like to learn more about how we can support your business, contact us today.
