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

Nine Factors That Influence Inventory Planning and Optimization

Plex Team July 10, 2019

Inventory planning is hard to do. As supply chain complexity continues to expand, more and more factors are influencing planning and optimization. ...

Read More

S&OP vs. SIOP: What’s the Difference?

Plex Team June 21, 2019

There are small differences between sales and operation planning (S&OP) and sales, inventory and operations (SIOP). Find out what they are in this article. ...

Read More

Seven Advantages of Integrated Demand and Supply Planning

Plex Team May 21, 2019

Teamwork, practice, and a clear strategy are essential for integrated demand and supply planning. Find seven advantages of developing an integrated strategy here. ...

Read More

Connectivity and Visibility in the Supply Chain Critical for Global Manufacturing

Stu Johnson March 19, 2019

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....

Read More

Do You Know the True Cost of Your Supply Chain?

Plex Team 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 Team 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 Team 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 Team 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 Team 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 Team 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