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  • How Automation Promotes Employee Retention

    Through automation, tedious, repetitive tasks that can take a big chunk out of a worker’s day are programmed into and performed by machines. This opens doors for new, exciting things to take shape.

    Beyond streamlining processes, automation can also drive a business forward by helping to create a safe and productive work environment for employees. With new opportunities and better work environments, automation can help promote employee retention.

    Taking Care of Your Workforce Through Automation
    As automated processes take over monotonous processes, workers have the opportunity to learn something new, add more value to the operations, and contribute to your business’s success in new ways.

    Meanwhile, business owners can expand production lines while training freed-up employees in new competencies and technologies or manage new machines, which helps level up your entire business.

    Here are some other ways automation can help retain your employees:

    Decreases Workload
    As mentioned, automation takes those repetitive, cumbersome tasks off the workers’ shoulders to make room for new learnings and better work experiences. Being liberated from limiting tasks can drive employees to better appreciate their role in your business’s operations and expand their proficiencies within the company.

    Promotes Workplace Safety
    Risky tasks that could cause physical injuries and health problems among workers can now be passed on to programmable machines. This gives the employees a greater sense of security in the workplace, which helps reduce stress and anxiety and promote general well-being.

    Increases Job Satisfaction
    Employees who are given opportunities to grow beyond their roles tend to be more energized and motivated and have a more positive outlook on their career path. In turn, satisfied employees stay longer with their companies, saving you the costs and effort of hiring and training new workers to fill vacated positions.

    Aligns With Professional Growth Programs
    Employees can pursue training and professional development programs within the company without disrupting or slowing down operations. Automation also promotes higher productivity, outputs, and increased profits – a portion of which can be used to fund more benefits that further improve employee satisfaction and reduce attrition in the long term.

    Integrating Automation, Investing in Human Labor
    While some people argue that automation favors machines over people, a closer look at its essence suggests otherwise. Automation actually takes that mechanical feeling away from a person’s job so they can focus on more meaningful tasks. It gives workers the opportunity to maximize production while simultaneously evolving as professionals. When automation is thoughtfully integrated into a business, it’s a win-win situation for the employer and employees.

    While it involves capital investment costs, the benefits of automation are multi-faceted and far-reaching – from increasing production output to enhancing overall employee performance.

    Forge Forward With Satisfied Employees
    nexAir’s automation processes can help you streamline and improve your productivity by optimally combining machine work and manpower.

    Let our team’s KnowHow assess your current processes and find ways to improve your working conditions and structure through automation. Invest in your technology, inspire your people to stay and grow with your company, and improve your bottom line along the way.

     

     

     

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    Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.

    The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime

    When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:

    • Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
    • Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
    • Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
    • Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
    • Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed

    For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.

    From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum

    Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:

    Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.

    Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.

    Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory. 

    Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.

    Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.

    Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime

    Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:

    • For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
    • For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
    • For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
    • For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.

    This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.

    Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability

    Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:

    Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions

    These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.

    Measuring Success: The Results That Matter

    The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:

    Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability

    These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.

    Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.

    Looking out for your future

    Get your career going on the right track with nexAir

    Industry Knowledge and Expertise

    Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast

    nexAir in the news

    Our expertise makes us more than a valuable partner, it makes us headlines

    nexAir is always open!