Japanese clutch manufacturer and Plex customer FCC LLC knew it couldn't grow in the United States if it held onto its antiquated networking and IT systems. The company's only option was replace everything and move to cloud ERP.

The growth in cloud technology for the manufacturing industry has a lot to do with the extensive investment in the Internet of Things, which is largely cloud dependent. Plex, a provider of cloud ERP for manufacturing, released a report this year that found cloud technology improved manufacturers’ ability to manage their changing business needs.

Plex’s Stu Johnson helps readers make sense of the most popular three-letter acronyms that crowd the enterprise software space and provides a back-to-the-basics look at how these acronyms help make managing business processes easier.

Industry 4.0 promises to transform the way that engineers design and build products over the next two decades. How will the manufacturing industry adjust? “Manufacturing is a very pragmatic industry not generally prone to jumping at every new trend,” notes Plex Systems’ Stu Johnson. “The rest of the market will generally fall in line once the return on investment is clear. Smaller companies generally do not have the resources to risk on low rate of return projects.”

ERP writer Louis Columbus shares key insights derived from Plex’s 2016 State of Manufacturing Technology Report, showcasing how manufacturers are leveraging technology on their plant floor and throughout their organizations.

MFC Netform, a leading supplier of powertrain parts for the automotive and agricultural industries, awarded the 2016 ComputerWorld Data + Editors’ Choice Award for leveraging technology, in this case a cloud-based ERP solution from Plex Systems, to grow its business from a start-up to an industry leader in just 10 years. “With Plex, we never have to prepare for customer visits or audits,” says Tim Cripsey, general manager.

G&W Products, a custom metal fabrication company, started from scratch implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for its shop floor. Now, G&W is reaping the benefits of having real-time access to documents and procedures. “I don’t think anyone understood the accessibility [the Plex Manufacturing Cloud] gave us.

Cloud-based ERP functionality is not only catching up with traditional ERP providers, but now offering extended functionality. Frank Scavo, industry analyst, provides insight on Plex’s offering as a result of the DemandCaster acquisition. “As the first cloud ERP provider focused on manufacturing companies, [Plex] has a functional footprint that is wider and deeper than other ERP providers.”

Industry Analyst Dennis Howlett shares his insight on the Plex acquisition of DemandCaster. “For the longer term, Plex now has a strong incentive to overlay supply chain analytics to its existing analytics roadmap.”

R “Ray” Wang, analyst from Constellation, provides an overview of Plex’s acquisition of supply chain planning leader DemandCaster. “The first acquisition by Plex provides a win-win for customers who seek consolidation of capabilities in the cloud. Customers win with end-to-end manufacturing execution, ERP, and supply chain capabilities from one cloud vendor. The OEM partnership paved the way for a smooth transition for customers.”