Microsoft: Manufacturing Industry Benefits from Cloud

6 Apr 2011

Cloud computing is transforming the manufacturing industry value chain as manufacturers begin to realise the benefits of cloud based computing, Microsoft has claimed.

According to the Microsoft Discrete Manufacturing Cloud Computing Survey 2011, IT decision makers in European and US based manufacturing industries are planning on moving to the cloud for their IT needs.

The survey polled 152 IT decision makers across aerospace, automobile, high-tech, electronics and industrial equipment manufacturing companies in Germany, the US and France.

One of the chief benefits of cloud computing, cited by 48.3 per cent respondents, is lowered infrastructure costs. Around 47.7 per cent of the respondents believed that cloud computing was necessary for international collaborations while 38.4 per cent of the companies believed that cloud computing will help them to respond quickly to business demands.

Sanjay Ravi, managing director, Worldwide Discrete Manufacturing Industry for Microsoft, said in a statement, "Manufacturers are exploring ways to improve product design with social product development, enhance visibility across multiple tiers in the value chain, and create new business models and customer experiences based on smart devices connecting to the cloud."

To help facilitate industry wide adoption of cloud computing, Microsoft has started the Reference Architecture Framework for Discrete Manufacturers Initiative (DIRA Framework) which will allow it to offer cloud computing services across the manufacturing industry.

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