Factories Don’t Have a Data Problem. They Have a Value Problem
- Jacobo lloret casal
- Sep 8, 2025
- 2 min read
In the age of Industry 4.0, data has become the new gold. Machines, sensors, MES/MOM, ERP systems, and operators generate terabytes of information every day.
And yet, many manufacturers remain slow, reactive, and uncertain in decision-making.
Why? Because factories don’t have a data problem. They have a value problem.
The Illusion of “More Data = More Insights”
Companies often assume that capturing more data will automatically lead to better results. The reality is different:
Data is fragmented across legacy systems.
Operators drown in dashboards without clear actions.
Decision-makers rely on outdated reports instead of real-time foresight.
The result? Factories become data-rich but insight-poor.
From Data to Value: The Missing Link
The challenge is not to capture more data, but to translate it into business outcomes.
This requires:
Integration – connecting ERP, MES, MOM, and shopfloor data into a unified architecture.
Context – ensuring data is not just numbers but tied to processes, quality, and business KPIs.
Intelligence – using AI and machine learning to predict issues, recommend actions, and automate decisions.
Adoption – empowering operators and managers with tools that fit into their workflow.
Real-Life Examples
Predictive quality: spotting deviations before defects occur.
AI-driven scheduling: reducing downtime and increasing throughput.
Energy optimization: turning consumption data into cost savings.
These are not about collecting more data, but about using existing data smarter.
Conclusion
Factories are already data-rich. The challenge now is to become value-driven.
Success means moving:
From dashboards to decision intelligence
From hindsight to real-time foresight
From isolated pilots to enterprise-wide adoption
The winners of tomorrow won’t be those who collect the most data.They’ll be those who extract the most value.
👉 Is your factory data-rich or value-driven?
I help companies design data strategies in MES/MOM and Industry 4.0, turning raw information into real business outcomes.
Let’s connect and talk about your journey
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