Plexus Reports Sales Increase in Challenging Market

By David Sims

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Plexus Systems, vendors of Plexus Online software for manufacturing firms, reportedly say that sales have been “growing… in spite of economic challenges in the marketplace.”

 

In the fourth quarter of 2008, Plexus officials report selling an average of one to two new deals per week.

 

The company’s software lets manufacturers have enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution system functions, along with customer relationship management designed specifically for manufacturers. The product is used in automotive, aerospace, defense, life sciences and the food and beverage industries.

 

The software as a service technology and business model Plexus uses is “well-suited for the current challenges facing manufacturers,” says Plexus Systems (News - Alert) president Mark Symonds.

 

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.”

 

In fact, he says, “we are seeing a huge wave of replacements of software that was installed hastily in the run up to Y2K. This software was old at that time, and now it hinders manufacturers’ innovation and growth rather than enhancing it.”

 

Earlier this year, TMCnet reported that Plexus and the Aberdeen (News - Alert) Group co-hosted a Webinar about efficient manufacturing operations. The Webinar, titled “Smart Manufacturing! Manufacturing IQ & Manufacturing Operations Management,” looked at how manufacturers are using technology and best practices to “achieve quality and efficiency from the shop floor to the top floor,” Plexus officials said at the time.

 

Co-hosts were Aberdeen Research Analyst Matthew Littlefield and Plexus Marketing Vice President Patrick Fetterman. The presentation shared information from manufacturing benchmark reports which focus on “efficiency and lean operations. One such co-sponsored report is now available as a free download.

 

In February Plexus named Anil Khanna (News - Alert) its Senior Account Manager of the Western United States, responsible for the firm’s Western region customers.