Research Desk
Direct answer – What does the June 2026 ISM manufacturing forecast say? The June 2026 ISM Supply Chain Planning Forecast says U.S. manufacturing executives expect revenue to rise 8.4% in 2026, with plants operating at 86.9% of normal capacity and capital expenditures expected to increase 4.9%. The catch is labor and input pressure: manufacturing employment … Read more
Direct answer – What did the WSI warehouse survey find? WSI’s 2026 manufacturer warehouse survey found a structural mismatch between current distribution networks and the operating environment manufacturers now face. The headline numbers are sharp: 306 U.S. manufacturing leaders surveyed, 88% expecting warehouse footprint changes within 18 months, 75% saying their networks evolved organically rather … Read more
Direct answer – What is FactoryTalk ResilientEdge? FactoryTalk ResilientEdge is Rockwell Automation’s new edge-to-cloud execution architecture for highly automated plants using Plex MES and the wider FactoryTalk stack. Announced on June 18, 2026, it keeps critical execution local at the edge while syncing cloud analytics, AI training, and enterprise orchestration. The manufacturing takeaway is not … Read more
Direct answer — What is the best MES software? There is no single best MES software; the right manufacturing execution system follows your production environment and regulatory load. Discrete and mixed shops fit Tulip, Siemens Opcenter, Rockwell Plex, or Critical Manufacturing. Medical device and pharma makers fit MasterControl or Tulip. Aerospace, defense, and complex industrial … Read more
Direct answer — What is manufacturing lead generation? Manufacturing lead generation is the work of attracting industrial buyers and turning them into qualified requests for quote, using channels like search and RFQ-SEO, capability pages, industrial directories, technical content, and targeted outbound email. The goal is a buyer who can actually purchase what you make, not … Read more
Direct answer — What is a manufacturer capability page? A manufacturer capability page is a web page that proves your shop can make a specific part, so an engineer or buyer can qualify you and request a quote without calling. It states the process, materials, tolerances, part-size limits, industries served, and certifications, and it links … Read more
Direct answer — What is the best manufacturing CRM software? The best manufacturing CRM is the one that fits how you actually sell: by RFQ-to-quote handling, distributor and dealer management, and repeat-order workflows, not by generic sales features. For contracted, repeat-volume manufacturers, Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud scored highest in our review; Prospect CRM leads for stock-and-reorder … Read more
Direct answer — What is the difference between MRP and ERP? MRP (Material Requirements Planning) is software that plans what a factory needs to make. It works from the bill of materials, current inventory, and the production schedule to tell you what to buy and build, and when. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is broader software … Read more
Direct answer — What is the best ERP for manufacturing? There is no single best ERP for manufacturing; the right system follows your production model. Make-to-stock shops fit inventory-led tools like Fishbowl or Katana. Make-to-order job shops fit MRPeasy, JobBOSS², or Epicor Kinetic. Mixed-mode and scaling small manufacturers fit Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Acumatica, … Read more
Direct answer — What features should a manufacturer’s website have? Good website design for manufacturers covers 25 features across the five things every industrial buyer checks: that they can find you, that you can prove you make the part, that your quality system is credible, that requesting a quote is easy, and that the site … Read more
