Worcester Business Journal

38 Worcester Business Journal | Fact Book 2018 | wbjournal.com M a n u f a c t u r i n g I N D U S T R I E S Central Mass. manufacturing thinks forward Industry leaders are updating their technology while training a new wave of workers M anufacturing isn't what it used to be. Today, the most relevant man- ufacturers are the ones embracing predictive maintenance technologies, real-time data and virtual reality. In Central Massachusetts, manufacturing has not become an industry of the past, but BY SARAH CONNELL Special to the Worcester Business Journal rather, a glimpse of the future. As a region rich in eds and meds, Central Massachusetts is maintaining its legacy as a powerful economic engine in the world of manufacturing. The most serious manufacturing com- panies are not just investing in present employees, but prospective employees as well. Westborough-based Coghlin Cos. is a prime example of a manufacturer who has adapted to embrace Central Massachusetts' strengths. Coghlin has maintained a strong reputation for more than 130 years by maintaining relevance and expanding into medical products as well as cutting-edge technology manu- facturing systems for semiconductor, defense, solar and LED industries. Manufacturing technologies of today Central Mass manufacturers are doing their best to predict the future in order to prevent issues before they can arise. Vice Chairman & Chief Relationship Officer Jim Coghlin explains Coghlin Cos. deploys a predic- tive cloud-based maintenance manage- ment system called FIIX for predictive. "This system allows us to track the real-time work requests from our asso- ciates as well as manage preventive maintenance schedules. With this technology, we can form an overall picture of our systems and facilities health, and from a predictive mainte- nance program by having accurate data on the mean time between failure risks in the operation. This will become a larger part of the facilities department's focus as we continue to grow and technologies advance," Jim Coghlin said. President and CEO Chris Coghlin points to the frequent collection of data at Coghlin Cos. "We gather data and real-time insights regarding our manufacturing process through the implementation of

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