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.

Announcement
7th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing

Now Available!

Get your copy of the 7th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing and hear from 300+ manufacturers in this new survey report!

Supply Chain Management

Plex Manufacturing Blog

Do You Know the True Cost of Your Supply Chain?

Plex DemandCaster March 18, 2019

Many product companies are beginning to see aspects of their supply chain increasing in complexity. Do you know the true cost of your supply chain? ...

Read More

Demand Planning vs. Supply Planning: Balance is the Key to Success

Plex DemandCaster March 15, 2019

Organizations that manage a supply chain have to continually balance a number of priorities. This article covers Demand Planning vs Supply Planning. ...

Read More

Demand Planning: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?

Plex DemandCaster February 26, 2019

Estimating future demand is one of the most valuable activities your organization can undertake. Learn more about demand planning and why it's important. ...

Read More

The Long and the Short of It: Variables in Managing Long and Short Supply Chain Legs

Plex DemandCaster February 11, 2019

Supply chain planning can be a daunting task. As economies globalize at a faster rate, just keeping pace will become increasingly difficult. ...

Read More

MRP – A Key Enabler of Agile Manufacturing

Plex DemandCaster November 29, 2018

Over its roughly fifty-year lifespan, Material Requirements Planning (MRP) has become a key enabler of agile manufacturing. Learn more here. ...

Read More

The Future of Inventory Management: Five Predictions

Plex DemandCaster October 24, 2018

For many companies, inventory management is where all the elements of the supply chain converge. Find our five predictions for the future here. ...

Read More

The Forecast and the Plan: What’s the Difference?

Plex DemandCaster October 15, 2018

Imagine a new professional, walking into her first Sales and Operations Planning Meeting at the multinational corporation who hired her only a few weeks earlier. This is a big moment for the new employee.The meeting might be awash with numbers, spreadsheets, graphs, and interactions between people that she doesn’t yet understand completely. Managers might talk a language that is rather unfamiliar…

Read More

Demand Management: Linking the Market to Operations Management

Plex DemandCaster October 8, 2018

All businesses, whether they're commercial companies or non-profit altruistic enterprises, can manage demand by linking the market to operations management. ...

Read More

Integrating Planning and Scheduling: How Is It Done?

Plex DemandCaster September 21, 2018

Modern manufacturing operations are constantly challenged to be flexible, yet efficient. Find out how to integrate planning and scheduling here. ...

Read More

What Is Lead Time Variability and How Can You Beat It?

Plex DemandCaster August 22, 2018

Lead time variability is a problem in any supply chain/manufacturing environment. Learn more about lead time variability and how you beat the system. ...

Read More