It’s possible to turn a factory into a smart factory much faster and cheaper than most executives think. When many people imagine a smart factory, they envision something complicated and expensive — the kind of massive “manufacturing execution system,” or MES, that can take more than a year and millions of dollars to implement. If you’re Elon Musk, you can pour money into advanced automation and robotics — and keep pouring. But you don’t need to be Elon Musk. Many...

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With no end in sight for labor shortages thanks to pandemic-fueled worker exits, re-shoring, changing workforce demographics, and more—board-level pressure for efficiencies will drive strategic planning well into the next decade. The race is on to embrace new technologies in manufacturing—and all eyes are on AI. On the 19th of September, 100+ senior executives gathered in Milwaukee to discuss “Investments in AI and Digital Technologies to Address Labor Challenges.”  Three CXO executives of manufacturing companies headquartered in Milwaukee offered insight into...

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At the start of 2023, many industry participants were expecting more stable market conditions in the year ahead, in anticipation of an easing of the pressures applied by soaring inflation. However, continued interest rate rises by central banks to mitigate inflation has ensured a continuation of an uncertain – and in many cases, extremely challenging – outlook for businesses. This has also significantly muted M&A (and therefore LBO lending) activity for a longer period, driven by overall macroeconomic uncertainty and...

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Starting Oct. 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it will implement expedited processing of some Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications and begin issuing some EADs with longer validity times in an effort to help qualified immigrants gain access to work authorization more quickly. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will prioritize EAD applications filed by parolees who have scheduled an appointment through the CBP One mobile app in an effort to reduce the processing time for these...

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On September 21, 2023, the UK Government announced the establishment of the “UK-US data bridge” (the Bridge), also known as the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (the DPF). The announcement promises to simplify compliance issues surrounding the transfer of personal data from the UK to the U.S. Key Facts With effect from October 12, 2023, businesses in the UK will be able to rely on the Bridge to transfer personal data to U.S. organizations that have self-certified...

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Economic pressures are forcing consumers to make difficult decisions and budget carefully. As fall arrives, retailers preparing for the holidays should expect an underwhelming season. We are projecting only a 3 to 6% increase in sales over last year, down from 2022’s 6.6% growth. On September 15, we released our annual AlixPartners Holiday Outlook Survey of more than 1,000 American consumers. According to the survey, 26% of consumers plan to spend less this holiday season than last year—a figure that rises to...

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E-commerce marketplaces in the EU will soon be subject to specific product safety laws. The new General Product Safety Regulation, or GPSR, entered into force in June 2023 and will apply to products placed or made available across the EU market from 13 December 2024. As well as economic operators like product manufacturers, importers, distributors, authorised representatives and fulfilment service providers, it will require ‘providers of online marketplaces’ to comply with new product safety obligations. We cover what these...

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HSBC today announced that it plans to make available $1bn of financing to early-stage climate tech companies around the world. The financing is expected to support start-ups to create a range of new solutions, including EV charging, battery storage, sustainable food and agriculture, and carbon removal technologies. This announcement also follows the launch of HSBC Innovation Banking1 and of HSBC Asset Management's Climate Tech Venture Capital strategy.2 Barry O’Byrne, CEO of Global Commercial Banking at HSBC said: “Access to finance is critical...

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