Loading
Utility Header Logo
Plex Community
Change Country Site SelectionChange RockwellAutomation.com site selection to a different country, region or language
US | EN
Plex, a Rockwell Automation Company logo
Products
Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Manufacturing Execution Suite (MES) is a comprehensive manufacturing software solution that provides real-time, paperless production management to drive enterprise-wide compliance, quality, and efficiency.
Quality Management System (QMS)
Quality Management System (QMS) is a cloud-based digital quality solution for manufacturers that standardizes and automates quality documentation, processes, and measurements.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a full-featured, scalable, cloudbased ERP that automates front- and back-office processes.
Supply Chain Planning (SCP)
Supply Chain Planning (SCP) combines data from your Plex ERP and multiple departments across your business to sync up demand and supply planning to improve inventory accuracy and production management.
Connected Worker
Connected Worker empowers frontline manufacturing teams with real-time digital tools to improve productivity, reduce errors, and enhance collaboration. It connects your people, to purpose, people, productivity, and processes to drive continuous improvement and workforce agility on the shop floor.
Production Monitoring
Production Monitoring provides seamless connectivity to machines on the plant floor, delivering transparent, real-time operational KPIs and dashboards to drive continuous improvements.
MES Automation & Orchestration
MES Automation & Orchestration connects your Plex MES to the plant edge to control information flow, processes, and workcenter setup adding efficiency, saving costs, and eliminating manual errors.
Asset Performance Management (APM)
Asset Performance Management (APM) combines process, operational, and machine-level data through highly visual dashboards to proactively monitor machine and plant health to ensure optimal uptime, throughput, and maintenance needs.
Finite Scheduler
Finite Scheduler is an advanced production scheduling tool that helps manufacturers optimize resources, reduce bottlenecks, and improve on-time delivery. It enables dynamic, constraint-based scheduling to align operations with real-world capacity and demand
Platform
Smart Manufacturing Platform Overview
Discover how our integrated platform connects, automates, tracks, and analyzes your operations.
Cloud Infrastructure & Security
Enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure with industry-leading security and compliance.
Mobile Application
Access critical manufacturing data and controls from anywhere with our mobile apps.
Availability & Performance
Industry-leading uptime and performance with 99.5% availability guarantee.
Manufacturing Automation
Seamless integration with Rockwell Automation and other manufacturing systems.
Industries
Aerospace Auto and Tire Food & Beverage Industrial Manufacturing Plastics & Rubber Precision Metalforming
Plex MES for Automotive
Plex Interactive Demo
INTERACTIVE DEMO
Plex MES for Automotive

Gain Real-Time Visibility and Control of Your Operations

Try Now
Resources
All Resources Success Stories Analyst Reports Knowledge Articles Demos Blog
2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Manufacturing Execution Systems
Plex Generic Dark Background
Analyst Report
2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Manufacturing Execution Systems
Read More
TALK TO US
SEE A DEMO
Log In Plex Manufacturing Cloud Plex Classic
TALK TO US
SEE A DEMO
Blog
Recent ActivityRecent Activity

Smart vs. Unsmart: Improving your Manufacturing Execution System Journey

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
XX
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail
7 Stats Blog - Lightbulb

When you were a kid, the difference between good and bad was crystal clear. Putting gum in your hair? Bad. Looking both ways before crossing the street? Good.

But now that you’re an adult – a professional – the difference between smart and unsmart decision-making is blurry. It’s hard to confidently know that one choice will lead to all the positive outcomes you’re hoping for. Until now.

There’s a reason 75% of food and beverage manufacturers feel optimistic about connecting, automating, tracking, and analyzing their operations through smart manufacturing. They want to solve their supply chain problems. They want to boost quality. And they definitely want to prevent future disruption. All these goals and more are why so many of your competitors are investing in a Manufacturing Execution System (MES). Let’s dig into why this is a smart decision for you too.

Optimizing Supply Chains vs. Dealing with Uncertainty

Get this: 78% of food and beverage manufacturers said the most important capability of any smart manufacturing initiative is that it must be scalable. So many companies in this industry were shaken by a pandemic where demand and supply fell wildly out of balance and fluctuated constantly. Now they’re looking for the right MES that can provide the visibility and insight necessary to keep up with change.

It’s no coincidence that scalability is a key part of the five steps to digital transformation:

  • Standardize processes so that they are scalable and repeatable. This uncovers waste and the root cause of issues.
  • Start with smaller changes to set the right foundation. As improvements become clear, scalability becomes easier.
  • Embrace innovation in every way. Encourage experimentation in your team so you can find the right technologies fast.
  • Lead and empower during change. Even if the market were stable, implementing new tech requires strong communication.
  • Improve project management along the way. During any change, goals and deliverables must be monitored closely.

Controlling Manufacturing Operations vs. Accepting Disruption

You can’t control the world events that impact your business, but you can control how you respond to them. Right now, 79% of food and beverage manufacturers are developing contingency plans for future business disruption – they report it’s the #1 way that COVID has impacted their organizations. But these contingency plans will be fruitless without the right technology.

In fact, 38% of your competitors plan to increase their tech spend with the goal of improving supply chain planning. A strong MES is what enables that because it connects the entirety of your manufacturing operations and provides instant visibility into every process, ingredient, machine, and more. This is how schedules are optimized, “what-if” scenarios are analyzed, and how disruption can be limited.

But controlling operations with an MES does even more than that: it improves quality as well. Unfortunately, only 34% of food and beverage manufacturers are currently tracking plant production data compared to 64% of the overall manufacturing industry. That’s why so many companies like yours feel like they have zero control over how deeply market disruption impacts their supply chains and operations – they simply have limited visibility. But with a strong MES backed by a digitization strategy, quality goes up, compliance improves, errors are eliminated, and “operational excellence” moves from PowerPoint buzzword to reality.

Enabling Smart Manufacturing vs. Falling Behind

So, you’re on board. You’re ready to connect your operations. Ready to optimize your supply chain. Ready to use data to empower your employees. But if you’re like others in food and beverage, that’s where you run into another hurdle: 80% say the pandemic adversely impacted the size of their workforce, compared to 57% of other types of manufacturers. In other words, it’s not just supply chain problems that have halted production, it’s a lack of qualified workers.

That’s where automation comes in. And yes, it’s another area where the food and beverage industry falls far behind other manufacturers. Automation isn’t meant to completely replace your employees. While it does allow you to do more with less, it also empowers the employees you do have. That’s because automation takes menial, repetitive tasks off their plate, allowing them to think more strategically, interpret data, investigate warning signs, and so much more. And you guessed it – an MES is what makes automation possible.

Making Smarter Decisions with a Manufacturing Execution System

You’re not a kid anymore. There’s no “timeout” for making a poor decision at your job; the stakes are bigger than that. You need as much information as possible so when you pitch an MES to your company’s stakeholders you can do so with the confidence you’re doing the right thing. Whether you need an implementation road map, list of how an MES boosts the bottom line, or more detail on the topics covered in this article, we’ve got you covered.

Make the smart decision. Download your free copy of MES for Dummies and discover everything you need to know about implementing an MES.

Topics: Food & Beverage

Plex Team
Plex Team
Plex, by Rockwell Automation, is the leader in cloud-delivered smart manufacturing solutions, empowering the world’s manufacturers to make awesome products. Our platform gives manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their business to drive transformation. The Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes solutions for manufacturing execution (MES), ERP, quality, supply chain planning and management, Industrial IoT and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility.

Related Articles

Loading
Loading
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Homepage Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Blog Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left Smart vs. Unsmart: Improving your Manufacturing Execution System Journey Chevron RightChevron Right
Products
Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Quality Management System (QMS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Supply Chain Planning (SCP) Connected Worker Production Monitoring MES Automation & Orchestration Asset Performance Management (APM) Finite Scheduler
Platform
Smart Manufacturing Platform Cloud Infrastructure & Security Mobile Application Availability & Performance Manufacturing Automation
Resources
All Resources Case Studies Analyst Reports Knowledge Articles Demos Blog
Industries
All Industries Aerospace Auto and Tire Food & Beverage/CPG Industrial Manufacturing Plastics & Rubber Precision Metalforming & Fabrication
Services & Support
Customer Success & Advocacy Support Services Educational Services Professional Services Plex Community
Get Started
Request a Demo Download Resources Read Success Stories Webinars Contact Support
Company
About Us Why Plex Recognition Newsroom Events Careers Contact Us
Knowledge Articles
Types of Quality Management Systems The MES Beginner Guide A Guide to Production Part Approval Process What is Industry 4.0? A Guide to Advanced Product Quality Planning Supply Chain Planning: A Guide to Strategic Planning and Operations MES and the Future of Robotics Automation Cloud Based MES Basics Food Manufacturing Software: Why MES Is Critical for Food and Beverage Manufacturers Guide to Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Cloud-Based MES Solutions A Guide to Monitoring Machine Performance What is Connected Manufacturing and Why Should You Care About It?
Privacy & Cookie Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Preferences
Accessibility Settings
Trust Center
© YYYY Plex, by Rockwell Automation. All rights reserved.
© YYYY Rockwell Automation, Inc.