How Possible Happens Bridging the AI Value Void in Manufacturing

Discover how manufacturers like you are cutting wasted hours, tightening cost control, and streamlining reporting with real, measurable improvements.

See What Manufacturers Are Doing Right

High-performing manufacturers deliver 35–50% productivity gains by closing the gap between AI adoption and core business strategy.

35-50%

Productivity Gain

From AI-integrated ERP systems

8 out of 10

Workload Reduction

In demand tracking & forecasting

80%

Lower Service Costs

Via AI-driven part recommendations

THE PROBLEM

The 'Value Void': Why Technology Alone Isn't Enough

Most manufacturers are investing in AI and automation — but few are seeing the returns they expected. The gap between technology spend and real-world results is what we call the Value Void.

Five root causes drive organizations into the void:

Disconnection from Strategy: Tech deployed to 'incubate capabilities' rather than solve specific operational pain points.
The Digital Divide: A widening gap between manufacturers who implement effectively and those still piloting.
Ambiguity and Hype: Leaders struggle to separate meaningful solutions from vendor noise.
No Meaningful Measures: Organizations lack the KPIs to track whether value is actually being created.
Legacy System Drag: Outdated software and over-customized cloud systems block adoption at the speed of business.

KEY BARRIER

Legacy Systems: The Silent Productivity Killer

Running outdated ERP systems — or over-customized cloud platforms — is one of the most damaging and least visible barriers to productivity in manufacturing today.

Inability to adapt: Outdated systems fail in fast-changing environments.
Hindered innovation: Heavy customization prevents adoption of new AI capabilities.
Fragmented data: M&A-driven ERP sprawl leaves data siloed and underutilized.
No single source of truth: Visibility gaps undermine real-time decision-making.
Long-term maintenance burden: Point solutions solve symptoms, not root causes.

THE FRAMEWORK

4 Vectors to Value: What High Performers Do Differently?

The top-performing organizations in this research share four defining characteristics. These aren't aspirational ideals — they're operational realities that separate the leaders from the laggards.

Processes and Systems

Strong processes win the day. The most efficient manufacturers use simple, connected tools to tighten operations, improve visibility, and keep everyone on the same page — from the shop floor to accounting.

Future-Readiness

The smart ones stay flexible. They’re using Generative AI, automation, and process intelligence to adapt fast when orders change or supply gets tight — without slowing down production.

Culture of Data

They don’t guess. They trust their numbers — using automation and real-time data to spot issues early, fix problems faster, and make decisions based on facts, not gut feel.

Customer Focus

They know success isn’t just about throughput — it’s about keeping customers coming back. That means building feedback into every job and using data to anticipate needs before the phone rings.

THE OPPORTUNITY

How AI Delivers the 35–50% Productivity Gain

These gains aren't theoretical. They're documented outcomes from manufacturers who integrated AI directly into core ERP systems — not as standalone tools, but as operational infrastructure.

Automated decision-making across business-critical functions — not just repetitive tasks.
Predictive demand forecasting: one manufacturer cut tracking workload by 90% using ML anomaly detection.
First-time fix rates: Combilift reduced service costs by 40% using AI-trained part recommendation.
Faster sales order processing and smarter customer recommendation engines.
AI-powered data empowerment: workforce gets accurate, real-time insights — not reports, actionable intelligence.

Infor customers use AI to automate their processes and lower the inventory cost

MEASURING WHAT MATTERS

KPIs That High Performers Track

The research is clear: a 22% gap exists between high and low performers in manufacturing on this single factor — having clear, meaningful KPIs.

KPIs That High Performers Track	Proven Example
Workload Reduction	90% reduction in demand tracking effort
Service Cost Reduction	40% drop in service job costs (Combilift)
Sales Order Processing Time	Measured per AI implementation
First-Time Fix Rate	Accuracy-driven, AI-recommended parts
Revenue & Profit Growth	Top-line measure of value creation
Product Innovation Velocity	Speed of new offerings to market

THE TOOL

The Industry Process Catalog: A Business-First Starting Point