Plex Systems, Inc. (formerly Plexus Systems, Inc.), the developer of Plex Online, a software as a service (SaaS) solution for manufacturers, bucked the recent trend of losing customers and experienced a strong showing Q4. New customers include: Decision Biomarkers, developers of the next-generation technology for protein biomarker analysis, Gobar Systems, metal stamper and plastics injection molder, Richardson Manufacturing Co., a large-part machine shop, Cadillac Casting, Inc., and PPC, Inc. a manufacturer specializing in heat treating and coating services for the automotive industry.
The company is also sponsoring two Aberdeen reports:
"ERP in Complex Manufacturing: Improving Collaboration and Visibility"
The report finds collaboration the key to reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction. Best-in-Class integrate manufacturing operations with front and back offices, and within those companies, manufacturing and corporate IT work collaboratively to implement technology. The report elaborates on how Best-in-Class complex manufacturers use ERP to improve inventory accuracy, on-time shipments, and bid accuracy.
"To win repeat business and remain profitable, complex manufacturers are stressing collaboration and visibility into manufacturing operations. For example, 'actual cost to bid' directly impacts a company's profitability. When actual cost is lower than the bid proposed to the customer, companies risk losing business to a lower priced competitor. If the actual cost is higher than the quote, the company loses money on the order," says Cindy Jutras, VP and Group Director, Aberdeen. "The Best-in-Class are over three times better at narrowing the gap between bid and actual costs. In addition, actual costing is a process that can be incredibly cumbersome if done manually. Best-in-Class companies are almost twice as likely as all others to fully automate actual costing, thereby protecting margins without sacrificing productivity."
"Compliance and Traceability in Real Time: Accelerating the Speed of Business"
This report shows how this executive focus is allowing Best-in-Class manufacturers to transform their businesses and improve both product quality and customer satisfaction by implementing enterprise wide compliance and traceability through quality and manufacturing systems.
Putting these findings in context, Matthew Littlefield, a Senior Analyst with the Aberdeen Group, states that, "Best-in-Class performance is differentiated by the adoption of enterprise-wide Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and quality capabilities, which acts as foundational blocks for building an effective compliance and traceability program." Additionally, "Best-in-Class manufacturers are creating real-time interoperability with these applications and other enterprise solutions like Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and the Supply Chain so that information regarding product and process traceability is further linked across the value chain."
The studies are available at www.plex.com.
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