Hello everyone. I'm Rodney, and welcome to my manufacturing and processing blog. I've spent the past thirty years working as an economist for a large bank. Recently, however, I started my PhD and I am completing my initial research paper into the manufacturing and processing industry. As an outsider, I've always had a very narrow view of this industry. I've always imagined factories filled with conveyor belts and workers standing along the production lines. Through my research, I've quickly learnt that the front line of processing and manufacturing today is very much about the digital age. Automated processes and computerised quality control systems are very much the new reality. As an economist, I am fascinated by the amount of time spent meeting requirements as new guidelines are legislated and maintaining software systems. I hope that my insights prove to be eye opening and thought provoking. Thank you.