Next-shoring is the new buzzword in manufacturing.  Have you heard it yet?

It was coined by a group of McKinsey Analysts early in 2014.  The basic concept is not the moving of operations in order to better serve customers and obtain materials, it is the use of technology to overcome physical limitations.

In the past, manufacturers have located themselves in areas where they could easily obtain raw materials or where they service key customers, but the new focus according to McKinsey is  operational agility.  Operational agility not only encompasses the use of new technologies like robotics and 3D printing, it is the ability to use these technologies in a highly flexible environment.

Interestingly, the idea of next-shoring is not new, this is just the first time that it has been given a name.  Next-shoring is a term that seems to focus on economic terms like supply and demand, proximity, and innovation.  It is also a term that targets adaptability.

The McKinsey analysts did not specifically address ERP software, but the whole idea of next-shoring is all about flexibility, collaboration, and technology.  Infor has specifically developed modules for its SyteLine ERP Software that are meant to utilize the very things that McKinsey has identified as forward thinking and the future of manufacturing.  Infor SyteLine ERP software has flexibility within the system that allows for changes on the line or with customer orders – without excessive downtime and disruption.  Infor SyteLine also has customer and vendor portals that make sharing information simple and efficient.  Infor Ming.le is a collaboration module that utilizes social media concepts in order to communicate throughout the organization.  Infor Motion is another tool that provides your mobile workforce with the ability to see data and communicate in real time.

It is clear that Infor SyteLine has considered the future of manufacturing and has provided the tools that are going to become essential to manufacturers.  So, as an Infor SyteLine  user, not only can you say that you have the ability to operate in a next-shoring environment, you can know that you are already prepared for the next manufacturing revolution.