Around the globe, manufacturers are getting smarter about how they run their factories. That's because they are deploying a new set of tools that are dramatically boosting the efficiency of their factories, adding greater visibility and agility across operations, and keeping their customers more satisfied than ever before.

I'm talking about a new breed of solutions that capture data from machines, satellites, objects, and wearables – anything that can be physically measured – and then process the data using apps such as Oracle Cloud Maintenance and Oracle Cloud Manufacturing pre-integrated with Oracle IoT Intelligent Applications or integrated to third-party manufacturing applications using Oracle Integration Cloud. Adding IoT to the mix helps monitor work in progress, improves product quality, and prevents unplanned downtime. For manufacturers, these intelligent applications are key to deploying a new wave of "smart manufacturing" solutions and strategies designed to drive better business outcomes.