Connected operations are becoming the foundation of Australia’s smart factories, helping manufacturers improve efficiency, compliance and competitiveness. Technologies that can gather, process and effectively share operational data across the business will be crucial to building connected operations, with manufacturing data collection forming the foundation for connected, data-driven decision-making. Deloitte suggests that building smart operations through implementing cloud-connected hardware and software can help create a pathway to sustainable growth. Connected insights can allow manufacturers to quickly prove compliance to frameworks such as the Safeguard Mechanism or the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act. Given the current geopolitical and economic challenges faced by manufacturers worldwide, insights from connected operations can create more resilient factories.