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Plex Manufacturing Blog
The Top Five Things to Know from IndustryWeek’s Manufacturing and Technology Show
In early April I joined hundreds of manufacturing and technology professionals at the IndustryWeek Manufacturing & Technology Show in Pittsburgh both as a presenter on the role of leadership and culture in business transformation, and as an attendee....
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3 Ways Manufacturers Are Tackling the Skilled Worker Shortage
You’ve told us that finding and keeping a skilled workforce is one of your top challenges. And we know the gap is only going to increase with 25 percent of U.S. manufacturing employees are 55 years old or older and Baby Boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000 people per day.[1] If that wasn’t challenging enough, you also might be missing out on additional revenue streams because you can’t hire…
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How G and W Products Meets Manufacturing Challenges with People, Processes, and Technology
Pride. You sense that the minute you walk into G&W Products’ manufacturing headquarters in Fairfield, Ohio. You understand it when you talk to employees about their careers, their customers, and their resolute focus on quality products. I was fortunate to witness this firsthand by spending a day with G&W’s Director of Enterprise Technologies, Jeff Karan, walking their facilities,…
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2019 PMA Leadership Conference: Forming Our Future
One thing became very clear to me attending the 2019 PMA Leadership Conference, there is no shortage of challenges facing the manufacturing industry right now. Tariffs are making raw materials so expensive it’s difficult to compete. The skilled worker shortage continues to be a thorn most manufacturers are still grappling with. And the need to innovate while driving efficiency is always critical…
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Connectivity and Visibility in the Supply Chain Critical for Global Manufacturing
Supply chain visibility helps manufacturers drive down the cost of operations and speed time-to-market. Visibility is difficult to achieve however without connectivity. Connectivity between systems enables more visibility throughout the supply chain—from demand to order to delivery and everywhere in between....
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Data Analytics Use Maturing Among Manufacturers
The face of manufacturing looks very different in 2019 than it did 10 years ago; increased competition, downward pricing pressures, tougher supply chain requirements, ageing infrastructure, and a diminishing manufacturing workforce—manufacturers have been challenged to look for ways to do more with less in order to remain competitive. ...
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Survey Says: Manufacturers, Choose Technology Wisely
There are thousands of technology innovations now available to manufacturers, from new equipment to robotics, software, business intelligence tools, wearables, and sensors. The sheer number of choices available means manufacturers must work harder than ever to find the signal in the noise....
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Manufacturing and the Digital Thread to Industry 4.0
Change is not a word that many people think of when it comes to the manufacturing industry. Words like precise, quality, reliability, efficiency are more commonly associated with manufacturing. But change is happening, and it’s increasing in speed. Manufacturing, as a sector, is changing dramatically and strategically. ...
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CES 2019: Emerging Technology for Use in Manufacturing
CES is the annual consumer electronics show held every January in Las Vegas. It is “the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies.” This year’s event, CES 2019, took place January 8-11, 2019....
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The Strength of the Plex Community
An ERP implementation is a big deal for any company. It’s essentially a heart or brain transplant since the system affects nearly all areas of the business. So, it’s understandable when manufacturers enter into an ERP selection and/or implementation with much trepidation. The last thing you want to do is upset production with a massive change management project....
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