Manufacturers should routinely ask themselves: “How do I know what my problems are?” The old-school way to answer this question was based on having the resources to produce spreadsheets of operational data and the expertise to analyze the data and understand how to respond.

This does not describe most small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). They are often resource- and talent-challenged. But these conditions also are what should make adopting manufacturing execution systems (MES) so attractive to SMMs. Using an MES helps companies focus on defining, measuring, analyzing, and controlling what is actually driving the business. An MES will deliver a more holistic and detailed report of how production impacts finances.

It also provides the equivalent of expert-level resources to review operations in real time and make recommendations—but without the cost of expert-level resources.

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