Smart Manufacturing Blog

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Plex CMO Heidi Melin Talks Marketing Technology

Plex Team September 14, 2014

Today’s highly connected digital world has evoked a shift in everything from the way people communicate with each other to how companies conduct business. We see it all the time in manufacturing – companies selecting Cloud ERP technology after putting careful thought into their business processes and the infrastructure to keep operations running....

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The Difference Between Active and Passive Compliance

Jim Shepherd April 16, 2014

I had an interesting conversation last week with a company that was evaluating new ERP systems. One of the principal drivers for replacing their old business system is compliance and traceability. Today they use a combination of manual processes and disconnected systems to track material usage, quality, and production activities. ...

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Cloudwashing

Jim Shepherd March 27, 2014

Wow have we made progress! It used to be that architectural changes in ERP systems required rewriting the code, but now you can do it by simply editing the web page and issuing a press release. ERP “paradigm shifts,” like the ones from mainframes to minicomputers or host-based to SOA, consumed thousands of software engineers’ efforts and sent the majority of vendors to the ERP graveyard. ...

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Guest Post: Cloud: the Key to Global Sourcing Strategy

Ann Grackin February 18, 2014

Developing a global sourcing model to serve a world-wide customer base as well as to manage global operations in a seamless way, manufacturers have adopted a ‘build anywhere-ship anywhere strategy.’ Adopting a cloud manufacturing system is emerging as the best strategy to quickly enable these capabilities....

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How Plex Is Revolutionizing Manufacturing with Two-Tier ERP

Plex Team February 11, 2014

Bottom line: Two-tier ERP strategies provide companies with a convenient approach to isolate and contain legacy ERP systems – which like asbestos - can do much damage in any company if left uncontained....

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How Cloud Computing Is Enabling An Artisanal Manufacturing Renaissance

Plex Team December 7, 2013

A manufacturing revolution is flourishing. Driven by passionate entrepreneurs, this revolution is translating their creativity, craftsmanship and commitment to exceptional quality into products that are changing entire industries. These revolutionaries bring a passion and intensity to every aspect of their businesses....

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How Cloud Computing Is Enabling An Artisanal Manufacturing Renaissance

Plex Team December 7, 2013

A manufacturing revolution is flourishing. Driven by passionate entrepreneurs, this revolution is translating their creativity, craftsmanship and commitment to exceptional quality into products that are changing entire industries. These revolutionaries bring a passion and intensity to every aspect of their businesses. ...

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Why Put a Software Company in Detroit?

Jim Shepherd November 21, 2013

One of the fun things about my job as VP of Strategy is that I get to brag about what we are doing at Plex to friends and acquaintances and occasionally total strangers. But inevitably they will always get around to asking the question – “Why would you put a software company in Detroit?” ...

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R.I.P. Business ByDesign

Jim Shepherd November 7, 2013

There was a major brouhaha when word leaked out that SAP was finally burying its ill-fated cloud-based ERP system, Business ByDesign. I assume it must have been a slow news week because no one could really have been surprised....

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Rethinking Business Innovation at the Cloud Business Summit

Plex Team October 29, 2013

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Times Square in New York City to attend Saugatuck Technology’s one-day executive event, the Cloud Business Summit. The event brought together more than 100 CIOs, CFOs and CMOs from large national enterprises to hear how the convergence of cloud, big data, mobile and social media is “Rethinking Business Innovation.”...

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