Smart Manufacturing Blog

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Modern Manufacturing

Plex Manufacturing Blog

Global Manufacturing Continues to Expand; Reaches 104% Pre-Pandemic Rates of Activity

Jerry Foster October 15, 2020

Global manufacturing data set ...

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Global Manufacturing Community at 102% of Pre-Pandemic Rates of Activity

Jerry Foster October 1, 2020

Global manufacturing data set ...

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U.S. Manufacturers Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels of Production Activity

Jerry Foster September 24, 2020

The U.S. manufacturing industry reached a significant milestone last week as manufacturers surpassed pre-COVID-19 rates of activity for the first time since the effects of the pandemic took hold in early March. Romania also exceeded its pre-pandemic rates of activity as of last week, while average activity in Europe continued to climb. China saw another week of growth as well, contributing to…

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CanExport Funding During COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Matthew Mongeon September 24, 2020

The CanExport Canadian government funding program supports businesses in their export market development projects, however, due to the effects of COVID-19, the program is changing the way it is helping assist businesses during the pandemic. Through CanExport, Canadian businesses may access up to 75% of costs associated with export marketing projects to a maximum $75,000 per application. ...

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How Manufacturers Can Use Data to Build Future Resiliency

Graham Immerman September 22, 2020

In this difficult time, while some manufacturers have been forced to change strategies temporarily, others have a need to double down on what you do best. By enabling mobile workers, industrial companies are better able to ensure the safety of their workers while continuing to serve their customers. Many of our customers have been on the front lines delivering solutions during this crisis and…

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Trends Indicate Return to “Normal,” China Sees Uptick in Activity

Jerry Foster September 17, 2020

Much of the U.S. and Canada recognized Labor/Labour Day on Monday, September 7, resulting in an anticipated drop in manufacturing production in the past two weeks. However, this should be viewed as good news, as it indicates a return to pre-pandemic, or “normal” trends. While the U.S. and Canada saw a temporary decline, China, Europe and Asia overall continued to expand in the last two weeks,…

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3 Reasons Why Traceability is Key to Reducing Errors on Your Plant Floor

Plex Team September 15, 2020

High profile recalls have increased in recent years and manufacturers have paid steeply not just in money but also the impact on their reputation. Paper based records are prone to errors, difficult to manage, and may be impossible to find which means days of delays in responding to a recall. A clear way to reduce errors on your plant floor and to avoid a recall, is implementing a system that…

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Global Manufacturers Reach 99% Pre-COVID Production with 90% of Workforce

Jerry Foster September 3, 2020

Global manufacturing is at 99% of pre-COVID levels of production as of August 30, while unique users logging in to the company’s system of record per week is now at 90% of pre-COVID levels. This data suggests that on average, manufacturers have been able to increase their productivity over time with a reduced workforce. Global data set...

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How to Error-Proof Your Plant Floor

Plex Team August 28, 2020

There’s a better way to protect your company from costly errors that take place on the plant floor. COVID-19 has raised the stakes higher than ever – making visibility and control a must-have, not a nice-to-have. In our Ebook, “6 Ways Error-Proofing Protects Your Manufacturing Business,” we outline the leading ways smart manufacturers can leverage technology to drive the following outcomes....

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Global Manufacturing Activity Increases for Fourth Consecutive Week

Jerry Foster August 20, 2020

Global manufacturing production is now at 95% of pre-pandemic levels of activity after demonstrating growth for the fourth consecutive week. While the overall increase is slower compared to last week, China and Mexico are continuing to see relatively higher rates of growth, with Mexico becoming the first country to exceed pre-pandemic rates of activity. We are also seeing evidence that European…

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