Plex Systems (Rockwell Automation)
Based in Troy, Mich., USA, Plex Systems (plex.com) began in 1989 as an internal IT project at an automotive parts manufacturer. Known as the first provider of a complete cloud solution for manufacturing companies, the company reports that 675 manufacturers and 1200 facilities in 37 countries currently use Plex solutions. In September 2021, the company was acquired for $2.2 billion by Rockwell Automation. Rockwell CEO Blake Moret said the combined companies will "accelerate our strategy to bring the Connected Enterprise to life."
Know more about Plex's Smart Manufacturing Platform.
Product Capabilities
Analytics and Industrial IoT (IIoT)
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Manufacturing Automation
Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Quality Management System (QMS)
Supply Chain Planning (SCP)
Target Industries
Automotive
Consumer Products
Food & Beverage
High Technology
Industrial
Life Sciences
Strategy
Focused solely on manufacturing (process and discrete), the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes MES, ERP, supply chain planning, quality management, Industrial IoT and analytics.
The company goes to market with a direct-sales model (plus referral partners) and boasts of a 96% subscription renewal rate.
Ultra Insight
From Industrial Equipment Manufacturing ERP Vendor Update (2021) DOWNLOAD
Plex ERP was developed for the requirements of the automotive industry – with a focus on efficiency, quality assurance and collaboration.
Plex invested heavily in their MES as it relates to the shop floor user interface, production quality control and real-time machine metrics. The MES is a key selling point and differentiator, and Plex continues to invest in its functionality by leveraging IoT and improving their predictive analytics.
For highly engineered, project-based manufacturing, Plex offers base-level project management functionality to track project costs. To manage detailed project tasks, including work breakdown structures and milestones, Plex can integrate with a third-party solution.
Plex connects information across all parts of the supply chain, including customer and supplier portals, that allow easy access to real-time data.
Throughout the implementation, businesses can expect Plex’s delivery team to effectively deploy supply chain best practices that will allow for increased production efficiency and business growth.
From Food & Beverage Manufacturing ERP Vendor Update (2020) DOWNLOAD
Plex has long been known as a player in the automotive and metals industries, but over the past five years Plex has started to make waves in Food & Beverage. This new focus makes good sense, given that a number of requirements in their bread-and-butter industries are also necessary in F&B – compliance, quality, strong EDI and traceability, to name a few.
It’s not easy entering a new vertical, and Plex should be applauded for rapid innovation as they quickly became a known competitor in an already crowded space. It seems to have carved out a niche in CPG and snack foods, and we will be watching to see if it can grow into some of the other F&B sub-verticals such as produce or beverages.
