The US-China tariff war may escalate further, but India holds a strategic advantage in strengthening its manufacturing sector. While the industrial landscape is evolving rapidly, many companies are still operating with outdated practices rooted in Industry 2.0 or 3.0. As a result, Indian manufacturing CEOs are facing unprecedented challenges in adapting to modern technologies. Machines, processes, suppliers, employees, customers—everything generates data. But here’s the truth: most companies are collecting data but not using it effectively. This is where data analytics becomes not just helpful, but essential.
Here is the link if you want to know what Data Analytics is
Let’s walk through a real-world-inspired story, where the Skeletos team shows how data analytics can revolutionize manufacturing operations.
“Due to the NDA, we have replaced the owner’s and company’s names with placeholders.”
🔧 The Turning Point at IronCore Manufacturing
Meet Mr. Raj, the experienced CEO of IronCore Manufacturing, an 18-year-old company in Pune, known for producing high-quality two-wheeler auto parts. The business had been steady for years, but lately, things were slipping:
- Machines were breaking down more often, and there was no tracking.
- Delivery delays were mounting, impacting the cash flow and business growth
- Customer complaints were rising; feedback was a bit harsh from the oldest customer.
- Inventory was either overstocked or missing crucial items
Despite having data from every department—machines, customized ERP systems, sales reports (CRM), maintenance logs—management, and Mr. Raj was stuck.
“We have all this data, but we’re still guessing,” he sighed in our first meeting. “We don’t need more data,” our expert advice. “We need to use the data we already have.”
🚀 Small Steps, Big Wins
We began by connecting the dots between existing datasets:
- Machine downtime logs
- Few machines are connected to IoT devices, but many are still managing downtime reports in manual log reports.
- We use that in a precise manner to get details like Date, Time, Who Reported, what was the issue, when the machine got up, how much cost was involved, is the machine has any AMC from the supplier, many more which are key values.
- Production and output reports
- Customer complaint records
- There are feedback and complaints over emails, we collected in a Presentable format with key data like Date, Time, Project Name, from whom we got, and many more.
- Inventory and sales forecasts
- Used ERP and CRM data
Within weeks, the results were eye-opening:
- One aging machine was responsible for 65-70% of unplanned downtime.
- Delays in maintenance were directly linked to delivery issues.
- Overproduction of slow-moving parts was tying up inventory.
Mr. Raj was surprised to see the data we shared. His reaction was, “We’ve had this information for years. We just didn’t look at it the right way.”
🔎 Skeletos creates a 06-month Roadmap
To unlock the full power of data analytics, we implemented a strategic plan:
- Centralize the Data – Integrated systems for production, sales, inventory, and maintenance.
- Real-Time Dashboards – Provided live insights to decision-makers.
- Predictive Maintenance – Used historical data to fix machines before they failed.
- Demand Forecasting – Linked sales trends to production plans.
- Smart Notifications – Automated alerts for critical issues.
We have decided to go with customized dashboard development using open-source, considering the long-term cost of Power BI or similar available tools. Read more about custom software, https://skeletos.io/do-you-need-custom-software/
📊 The Results
Six months into this data-driven approach, IronCore saw measurable improvements:
- ✅ 22% reduction in machine downtime
- ✅ 30% increase in on-time deliveries
- ✅ 40% drop in customer complaints
- ✅ 18% lower inventory holding costs
“Data speaks louder than words.” Mr. Raj and management, once skeptical of data analytics, were now one of its biggest advocates.
🔗 Final Word to Fellow CEOs
Data analytics isn’t about complexity. It’s about clarity. You already have valuable information flowing through your systems. The difference between struggling and thriving is how you use it.
“Start small. Connect the data. Spot patterns. Make informed decisions. Let data be your silent advisor.”
The future of manufacturing will be built on insights—and the time to start is now.
Let’s connect to know more.
