On June 6, 2012, it was announced that private equity firm Francisco Partners plans to acquire Plex Systems, a pioneer in Cloud ERP manufacturing solutions. Accounting for the facts that Plex Systems is a fast growing competitor in the market and the ERP space is one of the most mature software segments today, this move has the potential to be beneficial for Plex Systems' strategic positioning and growth.

Last week, we covered the basics of cloud-computing in manufacturing. Much excitement in the space surrounds how Service as a Software (SaaS) delivers improved configurability, scalability, low implementation costs, and a reduction in the need for maintenance.

Disappearing are the days of large investments and lengthy implementation times for manufacturing applications. As we mentioned in our previous blog on the Digital Revolution, major changes in the industry charged by Information Technology in the last few decades are quickly moving onto web-based systems.

Like most industries today, manufacturing has gone through a long period of modernization that many believe is snowballing into a frenzy of digital innovation. Hi-Speed and Intelligent Robotics, Converged IT and Automation Infrastructure, Social Media Marketing, Detailed Process Modeling and Optimization Software, and 3-D Printing Machines are driving innovations, which, in turn, are increasing the demand for competitive advancements.