Auburn Hills-based Plexus Systems Inc., provider of Plexus Online software for the manufacturing enterprise, Friday announced that sales have been growing at a robust rate in spite of economic challenges in the marketplace.
In the fourth quarter of 2008, Plexus has been selling an average of one to two new deals per week, while competitors report sales declines, steep losses, and layoffs.
Plexus Online software enables manufacturers to perform at maximum efficiency by providing enterprise resource planning functions and manufacturing execution system functions, along with customer relationship management and more, all designed specifically for manufacturers. Plexus Online is currently used by companies in automotive, aerospace and defense, life sciences and the food and beverage industries.
"The software as a service technology and business model that Plexus Systems pioneered is exceptionally well-suited for the current challenges facing manufacturers," said Plexus Systems president Mark Symonds. "With a SaaS solution like Plexus Online, companies enjoy incomparable flexibility in how the software is configured for their unique needs. It also allows for rapid implementations that provide an accelerated time to value, and low monthly subscription pricing. All of these benefits accrue without the expenses associated with older software systems, which require the purchase of servers, storage systems, and other hardware, along with prolonged deployments that can cost two to five times the price of the software. Combining these advantages with the broad functional footprint of our software, and the daily updates we make to our feature-set, makes Plexus Online the ideal solution for manufacturers in these troubled times -- times when other software makers are reporting reduced revenue and plummeting budgets for new research and development."
According to Symonds, Plexus is seeing an accelerated shift away from legacy on-premise software packages, many of which have not had significant new features added in five or more years. Companies are rejecting the cost, complexity and inflexibility of these systems, and are turning to the software as a service model in record numbers.
"We are seeing a huge wave of replacements of software that was installed hastily in the run up to Y2K," Symonds said. "This software was old at that time, and now it hinders manufacturers' innovation and growth rather than enhancing it," said Symonds.
SaaS solutions such as Plexus Online eliminate the need for costly, time-consuming software and hardware installations by a company's IT department, and instead deliver advanced functions via a Web browser and an Internet connection.
The solution is highly configurable to meet the unique needs of each enterprise, and is continuously improved so no update is ever required. Plexus Online, which features an easily customizable and broad functional footprint, offers more than 350 functional modules to meet the needs of all departments, from the shop floor to the top floor. Plexus Online collects and fully integrates shop floor data such as production scheduling, real-time inventory control, tool tracking, production tracking, and part genealogy, and more with enterprise resource planning functions, customer relationship management, manufacturing execution systems, and supply chain management functions such as supplier quality and traceability. Manufacturing data is collected as it happens and flows throughout the solution for streamlined operations, reduced costs and better decision making.
Plexus also announced that Symonds would participate in a panel discussion titled "Growing Your Business In A Slow Economy" at the Software & Information Industry Assocaition conference Nov. 17-19 at the San Jose Marriott in San Jose, Calif.
More at www.plex.com.
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