ERP Real-Time Data

Green Tokai Co. (GTC), an automotive component manufacturer with plants in Brookville, OH and Maysville, KY producing door seals, window seals, and windshield moldings, operated on a fragile patchwork of two legacy software systems and Excel spreadsheets. Shop floor coordination relied on clipboards and paper, with production reporting equally manual — introducing systematic delays in data entry. Many work centers lacked basic PC infrastructure, and the existing ERP served only back-office functions, creating a disconnect between master data and operational outputs. Inventory tracking was limited, quality records were scattered across customer portals and spreadsheets, and the absence of real-time data left management unable to make timely decisions.

GTC selected Plex ERP and the Plex Control Panel — part of Rockwell Automation's manufacturing software portfolio — after a recommendation from a major industry customer. The implementation, executed with Plex Implementation Partner Revolution Group, prioritized organization-wide adoption from the outset. A core team of approximately six members led the initial configuration and design phase before extending the rollout across all 13 departments, each assigned primary and secondary super users responsible for training and go-live readiness. Infrastructure investment accompanied the software deployment, with PCs added across shop floors to replace paper-based work centers. The Plex Control Panel gave operators direct access to real-time production dashboards, while the ERP's inventory module enabled serialization and cycle-count tracking across GTC's Ohio and Kentucky facilities. The system went live on June 1, 2023.

Following go-live, GTC gained real-time production visibility across its manufacturing operations for the first time. The Plex Control Panel enabled measurement of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) — a metric previously inaccessible under the paper-based system. Key outcomes include:

• Inventory serialization across all stock levels, supported by intelligent cycle counts and location tracking
• Transaction-level documentation providing auditable accuracy assurance
• Accelerated decision-making through subledger reporting previously unavailable to management

The shift from manual processes to a unified ERP platform improved supplier and customer responsiveness. As Joseph Daniel, GM of ERP & Finance, noted, real-time data is "only starting to reap benefits in other areas" — with continuous improvement now embedded in day-to-day operations.

• Structured change management — pre-launch awareness campaigns and weekly department manager meetings — was critical to achieving adoption across 13 departments before go-live.
• Designating primary and secondary super users per department sustains training momentum and reduces dependency on a central implementation team post-launch.
• Infrastructure readiness is a prerequisite, not an afterthought: adding PCs to the shop floor had to precede software deployment.
• Industry peer recommendations carry significant weight in ERP vendor selection — customer endorsement drove GTC's decision more than vendor marketing.
• Real-time data benefits compound over time; manufacturers should plan for a long-term ROI horizon rather than expecting immediate payback.