Industrial companies are developing products in an environment where expectations keep rising. Products are becoming more software-driven, automated, and intelligent, while markets demand faster innovation cycles and shorter time-to-market. The answer isn’t doing more of the same, it’s making better use of the data already generated throughout a product’s lifecycle. At Intelligent Industry, Gofore’s Harri Laukkanen and Tommi Eklund discussed why this has become a critical factor for industrial companies’ future competitiveness.
Yet many organizations are not struggling with a lack of technology. For decades, industrial success has been built on strong engineering expertise and high-quality products. These strengths remain essential, but they are no longer sufficient on their own, as modern products include more software, features, customer-specific configurations, and intelligent capabilities than ever before. This growing complexity slows down development, and valuable lifecycle data remains fragmented across multiple systems.
“We see the same challenges across many industrial companies. Product development takes too long, while organizations struggle to turn existing data into new business opportunities and services,” says Laukkanen.
The challenge is not tied to a specific industry or technology. It reflects a broader shift where product complexity is increasing faster than traditional operating models can adapt.
Competition in industrial product development is intensifying
Laukkanen compares product development to a journey into unfamiliar territory.
“Product development used to be like driving from Tampere to Turku. Today, it’s more like travelling to Rome. And when we talk about autonomy, robotics, and AI, we are essentially talking about a journey to the Moon.”
The analogy highlights how dramatically requirements have evolved. Companies are expected to adopt AI, automate processes, and launch innovations faster while simultaneously managing increasingly complex products.
At the same time, global competition continues to intensify. Industrial companies are searching for ways to accelerate innovation without compromising quality, safety, or reliability.
The challenge is not the amount of data but its fragmentation
Industrial organizations generate more data than ever before. Information is created throughout design, simulation, manufacturing, supply chains, maintenance, and product usage.
The challenge is that this information often remains scattered across different systems and organizational silos.
“We already have vast amounts of data. The problem is that information does not flow smoothly throughout the product lifecycle. Systems, processes, and people still operate in silos,” Laukkanen explains.
When information does not travel seamlessly from engineering to manufacturing and from usage back to product development, companies struggle to fully leverage technologies such as AI, digital twins, and new service-based business models.
A digital thread connects the product lifecycle
Solving the challenge does not necessarily require replacing existing systems.
According to Eklund, the key is to create a digital thread that enables information to flow seamlessly throughout the entire product lifecycle, regardless of where the data resides.
“Many companies assume they need to replace all their systems. In reality, what matters most is ensuring that information moves reliably across systems and forms a unified whole.”
The key to success is creating a better way to utilize lifecycle information across the organization.
When companies establish a shared view of their products across engineering, manufacturing, and operations, they can make faster decisions, reduce manual work, and unlock more value from lifecycle data.
Faster adaptability creates new opportunities
Better use of data is not only about improving efficiency.
According to Eklund, the real value lies in what greater agility enables for the business.
Companies that continuously improve their products, rather than relying solely on large development cycles, are often better positioned to respond to changing market demands. When information flows effectively across the organization, improvements can be designed, tested, and implemented much faster.
This also creates a stronger foundation for digital services, software-driven business models, and AI-enabled solutions.
Data is becoming part of a product’s DNA
The next competitive advantage in industry will not come solely from better products or individual technologies. It will come from the ability to manage and utilize data throughout the entire product lifecycle.
By connecting engineering, manufacturing, and operational data, companies can accelerate innovation, improve decision-making, and create new business opportunities.
“The winners will be the companies that unlock the value of lifecycle data faster than their competitors,” Laukkanen concludes.
Ultimately, this is not about technology alone. It is about continuously learning from products and transforming data into business value throughout the lifecycle.
Want to unlock greater value from product lifecycle data?
Digital threads, digital twins, AI, and lifecycle management help connect engineering, manufacturing, and operational data into a single, continuous flow of information.
