The mobile revolution is proliferating across every industry and manufacturing is no exception. However, these markets offer unique opportunities, as well as challenges, for mobile use that many others do not share. Implementing high-quality business management software solutions might be essential for leveraging smartphones and tablets effectively in manufacturing settings.

The key to opening up mobile trends in the manufacturing sector is in the apps a firm uses. While a smartphone may not have all that much utility on the production floor, in the back office it can offer a key way to boost productivity and communication. The main benefit that mobile devices offer to a business is the ability to connect to data and coworkers from anywhere due to the portability of smartphones and tablets. However, firms need to invest in the right applications.

According to Enterprise Apps today, enterprise mobile apps are improving every day, and an impressive 38 percent of all apps downloaded to mobile devices are private, internally developed solutions.

"Applications customized for specific environments are the ones truly making an impact on the business," noted Jonathan Dale, a spokesperson for Fiberlink, an IBM company.

In order to advance mobile opportunities, however, manufacturers need to enable new tools in their back office, from inventory management software to ERP solutions, which will help streamline the flow of data and general productivity to enable mobile app integration. This allows for increased security, protection of critical resources and access to key data points and accounts that will allow employees to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Ultimately, this will enable new potential, transferring these benefits across the firm as a whole.