Manufacturing insights that turn data into action

The manufacturing industry is a cornerstone of the global economy, accounting for 15% of the global GDP while being the foundation for other industries. Dun & Bradstreet is positioned to supporting and strengthening this sector.

Global production, complex supply chains - transparency that drives resilience and growth

Global supply networks are becoming more layered and interdependent, increasing both operational complexity and uncertainty. Building multi‑tier transparency is therefore no longer a “nice to have” - it is an essential capability to detect risk earlier, respond faster, and protect performance under disruption.

Many blind spots ultimately trace back to data: fragmented identities, inconsistent hierarchies, and incomplete third‑party information slow down decisions — especially as organisations try to scale AI beyond pilots.

That is why our insights focus on one central theme: turning trusted data into action - helping teams move faster and make better decisions across business partner processes, from supplier visibility and compliance to customer and growth priorities.

In the following video, our experts assess the future of the manufacturing industry – and highlight why this sector is of strategic importance

Explore selected highlights from the Manufacturing Summit 2026

See how manufacturers use trusted data and mature master data management to improve supplier decisions, reduce risk, and power AI‑ready operations at scale.

Volatility is now structural - resilience and agility have become competitive advantages

The challenges manufacturers are facing are not new, but they have intensified: supply chain and geopolitical volatility, increasing regulatory pressure, rising cost and talent constraints, and the continuous need to deliver performance. In this environment, “uncertainty” translates directly into risk — and the winners are the organisations that can see exposure early and act decisively.

When harnessed correctly, these conditions also create opportunity: manufacturers who build decision‑ready operations can stabilise performance in disruption.

Mature master data management and data quality are the foundation for process automation, compliance, and scalable AI initiatives

Successful digital transformation depends on the digital backbone: the data landscape. A consistent, trustworthy data foundation is essential for reliable automation and analytics - and it becomes even more critical as AI is applied across core business workflows and decisioning.

At Dun & Bradstreet, our goal is to provide reliable data that can be seamlessly integrated into relevant business processes - enabling a single, trusted view of business partners to support risk, compliance, and growth decisions.

This is where Dun & Bradstreet's Industry Practice for Utilities, Manufacturing, Others (UMO), with high focus on the manufacturing market, adds a differntiating layer of strength. As part of the global Industry Practices approach, this team helps customers translate data into action - supporting industry-specific requirements and the implementation of new ways of working, including AI and broader technology transformation. 

Through partnerships with leading providers such as Databricks, manufacturers can also access and activate this data through modern cloud and AI platforms - turning external intelligence into operational advantage.