TRAVERSE CITY ? Plex Systems is trying to build its brand among auto suppliers and the journalists that cover them at the Center For Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars next month. The event typically draws thousands of auto executives from supplier companies hoping to rub elbows with their counterparts at the big automakers, such as General Motors and Ford.

And since this event brings out decision makers who are usually not readily available to the press, the auto press also comes out in droves.

So to build its brand among both audiences, Plex is taking a sponsorship role at the Management Briefing Seminars at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa August 2-5 by sponsoring the social networking involving Twitter and other similar technologies.

“There are lots of key decision makers there,” said Plex CEO Mark Symonds. “The key is to expose them to Plex. They’ve heard of SAP and Oracle. But not necessarily heard of us. I know they’d be surprised to learn about what we?re doing with their colleagues and competitors in the industry. Name recognition is what we’re after.”

Plex must be capturing manufacturers’ fancy because even during hard economic times in 2009, the No. 1 rated ERP manufacturing software solutions provider say its revenue grow by more than 14 percent, Symonds said.

“We won a lot of high profile accounts,” he said. “We hope to win bigger deals as well that show that the model works for $2 billion enterprises. That’s why we’re going to Traverse City.?

Earlier this year, Plex more than doubled its presence in Auburn Hills, where the company is based.

“It will take us some time to fill that up,” Symonds said. “What we’re looking at is expanding our presence. We’ve hired a regional director for Europe to make progress in German speaking countries. We’re also In discussion with a potential partner in Japan. We have a large customer there and it is a great market opportunity.”

Plex also has its eyes on the Caribbean, where a partner will cover Central and South America, including Brazil, he said.

“We could always grow faster,” Symonds said. “I can’t complain, but sometimes still do.”

For more information, click on Plex.Com

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