With all signals pointing toward a good year, manufacturers have a decision to make. They can enjoy the strong economy while it lasts or look to the future and invest in technologies that will help them build a stronger organization that can prosper through economic shifts.

Last year, the common thread throughout our Top Ten Trends in Modern Demand-Driven Manufacturing list was digitization, synchronization and visualization. This year’s trends revolve around the maturity – and execution – of these concepts.