Equipment industry must be more agile

摘要

Debt problems have not been solved by many European countries, demand is only slightly picking up, labour costs are high, products are changing fast and competition from outside the continent is growing. The current situation in Europe, combined with the issue of extreme globalisation in all fields, is requiring European manufacturers - and basically all players on European markets - to be agile. CECE president Eric Lepine said, "It is crucial for the industry to be flexible in terms of management of people, demand, new and changing products, new markets, changing volumes, change of construction processes and of customers' requirements. "The industry needs to be innovative in marketing, in production processes and product design. This is the only way to win in Europe." The issue of how to become more agile in a fast-changing environment is the core topic of this year's CECE congress, which will be held from October 16 to 17 in Antwerp, Belgium.