The New Software Defined Supply Chain (3D Printing LIVE! Europe 2014)

Since the beginning of the 20th century, manufacturing has focused on standardization, modularization and increased digitalization. Now, three new technologies — 3D Printing, Intelligent Robotics and Open Source Electronics -- are each reaching a tipping point. Together, they will rewrite the rules of product design and manufacturing, and with that, transform industry structure and global trade flows. The IBM Institute for Business Value set out to research the following key questions: When will these technologies impact investment decisions? How will these technologies impact choice of manufacturing locations? What will the new competitive landscape look like? What changes to enterprise strategy and government policy are needed to be successful in this transformation? The result is the first and only quantitative analysis of how the digitalization of manufacturing will transform the global supply chain and a vision of how enterprises and governments must adapt in this new era. The defining feature of this new era will be a shift from a "hard-wired" manufacturing model to one defined and controlled by software: The Software-Defined Supply Chain.

Thorsten Schroeer is the head of the Supply Chain & Operations group within the Electronics Center of Competence (CoC) at IBM. Thorsten brings 18 years of experience working with Electronics companies in Strategy, Operations and IT. He has worked across the world in Europe, US and Asia. He has consulted with a variety of companies like Philips, ABB, Global Foundries, LG Electronics and SMA Solar. Thorsten is also a Vice President and Program Chair of the Council of Supply Chain Management Progessional (CSCMP) roundtable in Germany. He holds an MS from the Georgia Institute of Technology of Atlanta/Georgia and a MS in Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Dortmund/Germany.

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