Webinar: How Manufacturers Can Compete Globally with Scalable PLM

During the session, Prasad Jadhav explained that most manufacturing challenges do not originate on the shop floor but much earlier in the product development lifecycle. He highlighted how unstructured product data – scattered across folders, emails, and spreadsheets – creates confusion, delays, and dependency on individuals rather than systems.

Prasad emphasized that engineering changes become reactive when there is no single source of truth. Teams spend more time searching for information than using it, leading to errors, rework, and missed deadlines. According to him, these issues are not due to lack of capability, but due to the absence of a structured digital backbone.

One of the most important discussions in the webinar addressed the common perception that PLM is meant only for large organizations. Himanshu explained that this belief often prevents MSMEs from even exploring PLM as an option.

He spoke about how modern PLM platforms have evolved to become modular, scalable, and far more accessible than traditional implementations. Instead of being a heavy IT initiative, PLM can now be introduced incrementally—aligned with business priorities and budget constraints. Himanshu highlighted that PLM should be seen as a business enabler, not an enterprise luxury.

Building on this foundation, Prasad explained a phased approach to PLM adoption that is especially suited for MSMEs. He shared that successful digital transformation does not happen overnight and does not require implementing everything at once.

The journey typically begins with controlling documents, drawings, and BOMs, followed by structured engineering change management. Once these fundamentals are in place, PLM can gradually be extended to supplier collaboration, manufacturing handover, and compliance processes. This phased approach ensures faster returns, lower risk, and higher user adoption.

Throughout the session, Prasad used practical examples to explain how PLM directly impacts manufacturing performance. By creating a single, controlled system for product data, manufacturers can significantly reduce rework, shorten change cycles, and improve coordination between engineering and production teams.

Himanshu added a strategic perspective, explaining that PLM also plays a critical role in preparing manufacturers for future demands—such as sustainability reporting, automation, and global customer collaboration. According to him, PLM is not just about efficiency today, but about building long-term competitiveness.

The webinar featured deep insights from Prasad Jadhav, Product Owner at SteepGraph Systems, who brought over 13 years of global PLM implementation experience across automotive, aerospace, hi-tech, and industrial sectors. He also spoke about ScaleB, SteepGraph’s PLM platform designed specifically for MSMEs, focusing on ease of use, scalability, and phased adoption.

Complementing this, Himanshu shared leadership-level insights on how MSMEs can approach digital transformation with clarity and confidence—without being overwhelmed by complexity or cost.

By the end of the webinar, participants gained a clear understanding of PLM fundamentals, identified common bottlenecks in their own organizations, and learned how a structured, scalable PLM approach can help them compete globally. The session reinforced that PLM adoption is not about becoming “more digital,” but about becoming more controlled, more responsive, and more resilient.

This webinar made one thing clear: global competitiveness for MSMEs is no longer defined by size, but by how effectively product data, change, and collaboration are managed. With a scalable PLM approach, manufacturers can take confident steps toward that future.