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Reading any of the major technology media outlets, you will find stories of big manufacturers that are heavily investing in Industry 4.0 projects. Stories like these would make anyone believe that U.S. factories are filled with robots, machines, and sensors that transmit real-time data about everything from product engineering to quality to production performance—and that the data is being used…
Read MoreUs technologists solve problems...we can always wait for politicians or lawyers...but why wait? Inventor and entrepreneur and FIRST® founder Dean Kamen closed his keynote at PowerPlex 2019 with this call to action, referencing not only the role of science and technology in solving problems through innovation—but also the astounding shortage of skilled workers manufacturers face today....
Read MoreIt is hard to believe that last week’s PowerPlex 2019 has come and gone. More than 1,000 manufacturing technology professionals gathered to connect on evolving trends including Industry 4.0 and smart factories, the latest in cloud ERP and MES, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as well as the challenges and opportunities they face each day....
Read MoreWhen you walk into a room filled with manufacturers, one thing stands out: they really love what they do. You can feel the passion in the air. This was true while walking through the Plex Experience Lab & Solutions Expo, as you listen to conversations between sessions, and at networking events during PowerPlex 2019....
Read MoreEver think about how far we’ve come since AOL was introduced? Plex CTO Jerry Foster does. As the leading innovator at a manufacturing cloud software company, Jerry knows firsthand how technological advancements help companies drive and respond to rapid change. The pace of business is picking up, and nobody has seen this more than manufacturers....
Read MoreYou are a manufacturing supplier that prides yourself on quality performance and on-time delivery. You’ve invested heavily in production equipment and have the best people to help your run the business. You have a manufacturing ERP system that keeps all of your departments connected to the latest information and enables them to work effectively from customers to suppliers and from the top floor…
Read MoreIt’s no secret: the future of manufacturing depends on workers. And right now, manufacturers are facing an astounding worker shortage. Experts predict the skills gap may leave an estimated 2.4 million manufacturing positions unfilled between 2018 and 2028, putting manufacturers at serious risk of not being able to keep pace with customer demands. ...
Read MoreIn 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....
Read MoreYou’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…
Read MorePride. 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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