How The Digital Age Is Changing The Metals Industry

Metals like steel, aluminum, and alloy are materials crucial in various heavy industry machinery, infrastructures, and products that improve quality of life. The metals industry is itself an integral sector of any forward-looking society.

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Though the manifestations of the digital age are usually seen in other industries like automobiles, smartphones, and information tech, its impact on the metals industry plays a key role in industrialization. In turn, metals companies need to find ways to adapt and innovate, especially with the growing importance of environmentalism and sustainable solutions.

Markets are changing; the challenge is to stay profitable and competitive by assessing traditional asset management frameworks and developing better customer relationships. Metals companies need to look for solutions to be profitable in oversupplied, competitive, and constantly changing markets.

Proven business models and plans based on huge capital investments in plants and assets will be challenged. Because digital innovations are seen as disruptive and affect all players in the industry. As automation makes operations more efficient, the supply chains must be robust if it’s to cope.

Whether you are a distributor, a metal producer, fabricator, or a miner, digital trends significantly will reach you.

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A good, concrete example is the increasing number of metals companies now starting to use cloud technology to maintain flexibility, the speed of operations, and reduce costs. Business planning and strategies are now attuned to cloud, and procurement should be next in line.

John Kang was the president of Medical Manager Corporation, a company acquired by WebMD in 2000. He is the current chairman of LM Group Holdings, Inc. For more articles like this, head over to this link.

How Can Data Breach Affect The Delivery Of Healthcare Services To People?

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A data breach occurs when a cybercriminal infiltrates a company and steals information. They then sell the stolen information in underground markets. Among the most coveted information in these markets include credit card information, as well as healthcare data. Acquiring these information allows a criminal to commit acts of fraud.

Credit card fraud and medical identity theft can have similar effects on people’s credits. A cybercriminal can steal a victim’s healthcare information and use it for themselves. Healthcare information usually includes a person’s name, address, phone number, insurance number, and in some cases, even their credit card information.

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Image source: shredwithus.comWhat can these criminals get away with? They can use a victim’s insurance information to procure prescription medications for starters. They can also purchase medical equipment like beds and wheelchairs. They can also use the insurance to go through expensive medical procedures.

Those cost a lot, right? So shouldn’t the victims know that someone is using their insurance? Sadly, the answer is no. It could take months before the insurance reports the purchases to the credit company. And by that time, victims will be tasked to pay for the misuse of their health insurance or go through the long, tedious legal process of correcting their profile.

Tampered healthcare profiles can also endanger victims as changes in their profile can affect their future procedures.

John Kang served as the president of Medical Manager Corporation until WebMD acquired it in 2000.  He has more than 30 years of experience in developing and managing the strategies of rapidly growing companies in technology, manufacturing and distribution businesses. For similar articles, click this here.