ISSUES IN CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS (CPG)/ FOOD & BEVERAGE (F&B)

Process manufacturing is highly automated, more dependent upon large expensive assets (equipment) in the manufacturing process itself, rather than people — unlike discrete manufacturers. But manufacturers in the consumer packaged goods sector share the challenges of both process and discrete manufacturing: highly automated and machinery-focused on the production line, but very people and labor intensive in the warehouse and distribution operations.

There are two categories of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing: perishable (or produce to order) and non-perishable (produce to inventory). Produce to order manufacturers, typically in the food and beverage sector, are dealing with inventory that must be delivered immediately (such as bread, fresh fruit juice, milk or doughnuts) due to a very short shelf life. Many CPG/F&B manufacturers are implementing enterprise mobility solutions to address the specific issues they are facing as well as to improve data collection processes, reduce errors and improve accuracy overall and finally to squeeze out any remaining inefficiencies inherent in paper based processes.