Smart Manufacturing Blog

Welcome to your source for all things smart manufacturing. Whether you’re looking for expert insights, hard data, or actionable tips for your plant floor, we’ve got you covered every week of the year.

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7th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing

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5 Key Takeaways from the 5th Annual State of Manufacturing Technology Report

Jerry Foster May 7, 2020

The state of manufacturing technology is one that is constantly evolving. What is true one month might not be true the next, and we have seen that volatility with the impact of COVID-19. So how do manufacturers to stay ahead of the curve to drive growth and stay ahead of competition?...

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How Jagemann Answered the Call for PPE Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Amy Jagemann May 5, 2020

Guest post from Amy Jagemann, marketing and customer service manager, Jagemann Stamping The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we view business, our personal lives and the safety of our family, friends and communities. For my colleague Nathan Dudney, director of sales and business development at Jagemann Precision Plastics – a division of Jagemann Stamping – this battle is…

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Restarting Plex ERP After An Unprecedented Shutdown

Monti Piccioni May 1, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the manufacturing industry across the world, including organizations that leverage the Plex smart manufacturing systemplatform. Fragmented supply chains have become significantly harder to manage. Demand in many industries has fallen. Manufacturers have found themselves hobbled as they try to sustain current operations or shut down entirely for an undetermined…

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Medical Device Manufacturers Answer the COVID-19 Call

Plex Team April 23, 2020

Medical device manufacturers like Okay Industries are finding ways to support healthcare individuals and industries by becoming more creative and resourceful....

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Declining Manufacturing Production Turns the Corner

Jerry Foster April 22, 2020

This week’s global data marks a turning point: the decline of manufacturing production is starting to flatten, and in some regions and industries, even shows an upturn in activity. For instance, let's first look at two of our bigger data sets – manufacturing in the United States and China, both of which are showing signs of improvement (see graphs below). U.S. data set...

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Manufacturing Leaders Share COVID-19 Response

Plex Team April 17, 2020

In today’s volatile global environment, manufacturers around the world being tasked with adapting to fluctuating supply chain demands, meeting new regulatory requirements and addressing shifting customer needs – all while protecting the health and safety of their workers....

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Worker Health and Safety Becomes a Global Conversation

Plex Team April 13, 2020

Any plant manager will tell you that the health and safety of their workers has always been a top priority. But as the COVID-19 crisis wages on, manufacturers around the world are having to quickly adapt their already robust safety initiatives to include strict protocols to prevent the spread of the virus....

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The Value of Continuing Project Education During a Crisis

Todd Kisaberth April 9, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact business of all shapes and sizes across the globe, we are seeing upheaval in society we thought only existed in popular works of fiction. With more than 80 percent of the global workforce affected by full or partial workplace closures, it goes without saying that many companies are trying to figure out the best way to get work done....

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While New COVID-19 Cases in Asia and Europe Flatten, Manufacturing Recovery Lags

Jerry Foster April 8, 2020

According to the latest Plex data on global smart manufacturing production, overall manufacturing activity (see graph, below) is still dropping, while reports that the rate of new COVID-19 cases in some Asian and European countries we’ve been tracking are flattening and slowing, respectively. ...

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Thoughtful Supply Chain Planning in the Face of Rapid Change

Ara Surenian April 7, 2020

There’s little that could properly prepare the world for the magnitude of global events such as the COVID-19 global pandemic. These situations not only impact us as individuals, but often highlight critical vulnerabilities in our business processes. ...

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