Smart Manufacturing Blog

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Where Did My Raw Materials Go?

Plex DemandCaster March 22, 2023

In the age before computers, supply chain visibility depended on telephone calls, snail mail, verbal agreements, and even intuition. As technology advanced, these functions were computerized to give supply chain professionals better control over data and information....

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Where Did My Product Demand Go?

Plex Team March 9, 2023

We've all been there.One day, demand is high, forecasts are rosy, and life is good. The next, demand has plummeted, and you're sitting there with a mountain of inventory and booked capacity with no demand to support it.Wild swings in demand have always been a headache. But with supply chain volatility and complexity increasing, it's becoming harder and harder to prevent these swings....

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From Farm to Factory: How Fertilizer and Material Shortages Affect Food and Beverage Manufacturers

Plex Team January 17, 2023

It’s become a perfect storm. Massive disruption of supply chains for food products is becoming a regular threat. Driven by lingering COVID-19 impacts, the war in Ukraine, and other factors, there’s a global shortage of fertilizer....

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Quality Management in an Age of Disruptive Supply Chains

Plex Team December 14, 2022

Once upon a time, it was easier. For decades, supply chains stabilized globally, allowing companies to source components confidently and manage their supply chain plans with Lean methodology. And while supply chain complexity increased during this time, the ability to span the globe and know their materials would arrive on time....

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