Founded in 1941, Koller Enterprises is a third generation owned and operated business headquartered in Fenton, MO. With manufacturing operations in Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, and Michigan we provide world-class service and products to the Automotive, Industrial, Consumer Products, Commercial Lighting, Concessions and Food packaging markets.
Speaker Information
- Disconnected legacy systems across multiple divisions, creating operational complexity and inconsistent processes
- Limited real-time visibility into production, inventory, and machine performance
- Heavy reliance on manual tracking for materials, scrap, and reporting, leading to errors and delays
- Cumbersome audit and compliance processes requiring extensive manual data gathering
- Difficulty managing complex molding systems and lacking serialization or traceability for parts and containers
- Significant reduction in scrap rates through real‑time machine tracking and automated scrap reporting
- Noticeable decrease in production errors due to serialization, automated cycle counting, and improved traceability
- Increased productivity across plants driven by automation of previously manual processes
- Faster audit completion times enabled by centralized data and automated documentation
- Substantial time savings from automated process flows that update part and container status every few hours
Overview
Koller Enterprises is a domestic manufacturer with multiple U.S. locations producing industrial lighting, automotive and agricultural molding, and consumer products. Its Lenexa, Kansas facility specializes in cups and buckets used in stadiums, arenas, and movie theaters. As the company expanded, a need for a modern, unified system to support its diverse operations developed.
Challenge
Prior to implementing Plex, Koller Enterprises faced significant operational complexity across its divisions. Each location served different industries with unique requirements, resulting in disconnected systems, manual workarounds, and limited visibility. The legacy environment required constant maintenance, lacked real-time insight, and made it difficult to track materials, manage production, or respond quickly to issues. As the business grew, these limitations created inefficiencies and made it increasingly challenging to maintain consistency across plants.
The lack of centralized data also hindered planning, inventory management, and compliance. Teams struggled to locate accurate information, audits were cumbersome, and production reporting required extensive manual effort. Without real-time machine data or automated tracking, scrap issues often went unnoticed until it was too late to take corrective action. It became clear that the existing systems could no longer support the company’s operational needs or long-term goals.
Solution
To address these challenges, Koller Enterprises selected Plex MES, Plex MES A&O, and Plex QMS. The decision was influenced by a recommendation from one of their own customers already using Plex, as well as positive feedback gathered at the Rockwell’s Automation Fair event. After conducting a cost analysis comparing their legacy system’s maintenance burden to Plex’s capabilities, Koller Enterprises determined that the move to Plex was the most efficient and scalable path forward.
Implementation began with a company-wide bootcamp to introduce the platform and address high-level questions. Each division then appointed internal champions to support deployment, followed by staggered go-lives that allowed teams to learn from one another. Although the full implementation spanned about a year, individual divisions were able to complete their transitions in as little as five to six months. As the system matured, Koller began leveraging customized reports, dashboards, and automated data collection to build a stronger foundation for long-term KPI tracking.
Koller Enterprises enlisted the expertise of Plex System Integrator, Cumulus Consulting, to guide the implementation. The customer viewed Cumulus not just as a consulting partner, but as an extension of their own team—supporting every LLC, including Koller Craft, Churchill, Creative Lumens and SLP, each of which had unique needs. With five plants implementing Plex concurrently, the project required a dedicated effort to identify common processes, align business practices, and ensure consistency across the entire organization.
Results
Improvements Across Operations
With Plex in place, Koller Enterprises gained real-time visibility across all plants, enabling teams to understand production status, inventory levels, and scrap rates with far greater accuracy. Automation of scrap reporting, cycle counting, and machine cycle tracking replaced previously cumbersome manual processes. Serialized inventory and part-level traceability significantly reduced errors, improved material management, and made it easier to monitor complex molding systems. These capabilities contributed to measurable reductions in scrap, fewer mistakes, and increased productivity across the organization.
The platform also transformed Koller’s audit and compliance processes. All required information is now stored directly within Plex, eliminating the need for external spreadsheets or system workarounds. Compliance audits with various licensors and customers have become smoother and more predictable. Enhanced visibility into inventory, vendor orders, and shipping timelines has strengthened planning and responsiveness. As the customer continues to expand its use of dashboards and reporting tools, Plex is becoming the backbone of a more robust KPI and performance management system.
Increased Automation with Plex MES A&O
Plex MES A&O has delivered a step-change in operational awareness by providing real-time insight into machine performance. Issues that once went unnoticed until much later are now identified instantly, allowing teams to take immediate corrective action. This continuous tracking has played a major role in reducing errors, lowering scrap rates, and increasing overall productivity across the production floor.
The introduction of serialization for every container and part has dramatically improved traceability and material management. Complex molding systems that were previously difficult to monitor can now be tracked with precision, supported by scanning and automated coding. Automated scrap reporting, cycle counting, and machine cycle tracking have eliminated manual data collection and reduced the risk of human error. With more accessible data and customizable reports, the customer now has a clearer view of inventory, vendor orders, and production activity, enabling faster decision-making and more accurate planning.
As Koller Enterprises continues to adopt Plex dashboards and refine their KPI strategy, A&O is becoming a foundational tool for long-term performance measurement. The organization is now better equipped to identify trends, respond to issues proactively, and build a more data-driven operational culture.
Customized Applications
Koller Enterprises has also expanded Plex’s value through custom applications built on top of the platform’s flexible tools and APIs. Plex Process Flows has automated tasks that previously required manual effort, such as sifting through container serial numbers. These flows now run every few hours to update part statuses across work centers, saving significant time and ensuring data accuracy.
Plex’s Document Composer has enabled the team to customize built‑in Plex documents, including creating tailored shipping documents for different customers. VisionPlex has further strengthened data consistency by giving teams a centralized place to view information. Instead of emailing Excel files back and forth, users now rely on custom VisionPlex screens that present data in the exact formats needed. The customer has even merged a decade of historical sales data into Plex, creating a unified view that connects past performance with current activity.
Plex Extend has opened the door to even more innovation. A wide range of Plex KPIs enables the application to pull real-time data directly from the system, ensuring accuracy and eliminating redundant data entry. The team also developed a browser plugin that streamlines navigation within Plex, using data source KPIs to help users jump between screens more efficiently. These custom tools have strengthened productivity, improved data access, and empowered teams to tailor Plex to their exact needs.
Published July 20, 2026
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