Smart Manufacturing Blog

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Shank’s Extracts Takes Control of Inventory to Transform Business

Kaitlin Rebella June 20, 2017

In 1899 when pharmacist Jacob Shank created a compound flavoring of vanilla bean to improve the taste of his medicine, he had no idea that this inspiration would turn into a successful business over a century later. Since then, his company—Shank’s Extracts—has steadily grown by doing what it does best: quietly make the best quality products possible while being a reliable partner for its…

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Polamer Precision Makes Innovation Its Mission

Kaitlin Rebella June 13, 2017

nnovation has always been at the heart of manufacturing, propelling the industry and the economy forward. Polamer Precision, an aerospace manufacturer, demonstrates this idea from its state-of-the-art, solar-powered facility in New Britain, CT, to the technology that runs the business. The organization is serious about data-driven innovation, and about changing the perception of manufacturing in…

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Firstronic Overhauls Its Processes to Beat the Competition

Dave Morfas June 9, 2017

I recently had the privilege of presenting with Plex customer Sandy Kolp, Director of Program Management and Plant Manager, from Firstronic, LLC at IndustryWeek’s Manufacturing & Technology conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Firstronic is on a roll, having recently won IndustryWeek’s 2016 Plant of the Year award, along with four awards for Dependability and Timely Delivery, Responsiveness, Value…

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Award-Winning Manufacturer, Accuride, Transforms Business with Plex

Stu Johnson May 31, 2017

Running a profitable manufacturing business is no easy task. When faced with a decision to either invest, sell, or close up shop, it gets even tougher. Recently, I had the privilege of visiting Accuride Corporation’s Rockford, IL plant named “Gunite” in honor of a specific alloy the founder created back in 1854....

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Wonton Food Predicts a Bright Future with Cloud ERP

Kaitlin Rebella April 21, 2017

Wonton Food started from humble beginnings—producing high quality Asian food in Brooklyn, New York—to eventually become the largest manufacturer of noodles, wrappers and fortune cookies in the U.S....

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How Champion Plastics Uses EDI Integration to Stay Ahead in the Manufacturing Industry

Stu Johnson April 4, 2017

In today’s fast-paced world, manufacturers like Champion Plastics need speed and agility to quickly respond to constant market changes. Champion Plastics, a custom injection molding manufacturer of functional plastics for the automotive industry, was looking to change its Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system to meet the needs of a large customer....

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Shank’s Extracts Puts Quality at the Heart of Its Business for a Sweet Future

Stu Johnson February 27, 2017

The challenge of a private label manufacturer is to make the highest quality products—but quietly. Why? Because it’s all about making the customer look good. Shank’s Extracts knows how to make customers look good with its vanilla, other extract, natural and artificial flavors, food colors, and syrups because the company has been doing it since 1899....

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3 Manufacturers Who Fell in Love with Plex—and Why You May Be Next

Plex Team February 13, 2017

When manufacturers begin their search for the perfect match, what do they really look for in a cloud ERP system? If you’re like most of your peers, you want an ERP system that’s:...

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3 Must-Do Steps for Manufacturers to Cut Costs and Still Grow

Dave Morfas February 6, 2017

Squeezing every dime out of operations in the name of optimal efficiency is a key strategy for today’s manufacturers. But running a bare-bones business makes it difficult to handle the increased demand that comes with growth. So how can manufacturers continue to cut costs without inhibiting their infrastructure’s ability to expand and grow?...

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How American Axle and Manufacturing Broke Down the Silos to Gain One Version of the Truth

Stu Johnson February 2, 2017

If you have difficulty getting your arms around how your manufacturing business is actually performing, you are not alone. It’s the number one challenge many manufacturers I talk to want to tackle because it can mean the difference between running a successful company or managing a struggling company....

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