Proficy Smart Factory MES

Industrial Software

MES Software - Manufacturing Execution Systems

Proficy Smart Factory MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) - Enable lean manufacturing through on-premise, cloud, or hybrid MES software solutions.

Proficy Smart Factory MES

Overview

What is Proficy Smart Factory (MES Software)?

Proficy Smart Factory (MES software) is a comprehensive suite of cloud-based and on-premises solutions. Transform your manufacturing business through insights and intelligence powered by data integration, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), machine learning, and predictive analytics. By bringing together the digital world with the physical world of manufacturing, Proficy Smart Factory MES software can deliver holistic performance management for today’s connected enterprise.

Proficy Smart Factory is the only MES on the market that can deliver value across all types of manufacturing operations (process, discrete, diverse/mixed).

Every step in the manufacturing process generates gigabytes of valuable data, and Proficy Smart Factory can help track, control, and document these steps in real-time, helping you understand conditions on the plant floor and making commercial sense out of your real-time, mission-critical production data.

"Data is really important to us to improve stability of the operation. [GE Vernova] provided the most complete software suite for our needs."

Benoit Lapensee

MES Director, Cascades Tissue Group

SaaS deployment of Proficy Smart Factory MES

Accelerate time-to-value with a SaaS deployment of Proficy Smart Factory MES

  • Reduce manufacturing software costs by up to 30%* while improving performance
  • Highly available and scalable
  • Always current with 0 downtime
  • Increased security (ISO 27001 Certified for Cloud Services and more)
  • Cloud-based analytics
  • *Compared to on-premises MES solutions

Proficy Smart Factory Provides End-to-End Manufacturing Value

The Proficy portfolio includes cloud-based and on-prem HMI/SCADA, MES, industrial data management, and analytics. Proficy offers architecture flexibility including single machines, remote substations, and complex, distributed networks that span multiple factories and geographies. We’re driving measurable progress for over 20,000 diverse customers around the world.

20%

Inventory Reduction

+20%

Recovered Capacity

80%

Decrease in Downtime

Outcomes

Reduce Costs

Reduce Costs

By aligning resources, energy, and efficiency management your manufacturing operations can reduce inventory, identify costly production gaps, lower energy and utility waste, and gain insight into throughput and critical processes
Improve Quality

Improve Quality

Capture robust quality data and related traceability information, while at the same time performing analysis on process-oriented data and product-oriented data, and classifying materials as non-conforming, out-of-spec, or related to recalls.
Speed Production

Speed Production

Improve on-time delivery performance and respond optimally and with agility to late stage changes, gain up-to-date visibility of all work-in-progress orders, get more successful new product introductions (NPIs), and shorten design-to-delivery cycles.

Customer Story

Learn how Cascades Tissue Group increased quality and efficiency and improved KPIs.

Cascades manufacturing

Gartner MES Reports

GE Vernova is recognized as a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Manufacturing Execution Systems report.

Gartner MES Reports

NOTE: To better align with the industry, we will only be offering our Proficy Smart Factory Software Suite licenses as subscription spanning any mix of hosted or on-premises solutions.

Trends in Manufacturing and MES Software

Decrease Costs

Decrease Costs

Drive a future-proof foundation for modern manufacturing and digital transformation.
Lean Manufacturing

Lean Manufacturing

MES capabilities can help you improve your labor utilization, reduce WIP and optimize your production.
Modern Technology

Modern Technology

Read How Modern Technology is Changing the Game

Proficy Smart Factory Software

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Proficy Plant Applications

Making business sense out of your real-time, mission-critical production data, these applications can help digitize production operations and provide your team with analysis, reporting and insight.

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Proficy Historian for Cloud

The world’s first cloud-native operations data historian, it reduces costs and supports analytics. It allows simple secure by design, reliable movements OT data to the cloud, at scale. It is available in AWS Marketplace and Azure Marketplace.

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Proficy Smart Factory – Cloud MES from GE Vernova

This powerful production and quality management solution speeds production and increases consistency. It provides insight into how products flow through the plant and integrating quality control.

power of proficy
Proficy Smart Factory – Cloud OEE from GE Vernova

This powerful operations management solution reduces costs to improve overall equipment effectiveness and accelerates results. It collects and analyzes data, and helps manage highly automated, fast-moving processes as well as slower moving, labor-intensive jobs.

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Proficy Operations Hub

This software provides a centralized, no-code / low-code environment to rapidly configure industrial applications for data connectivity, aggregation and visualization of contextual and situational information.

digital worker manufacturing operator engineer
Proficy Historian

A best-in-class historian software that collects industrial operations time-series and A&E data at very high speed, and stores it efficiently and securely in the cloud or on-prem, distributes it, and allows for fast retrieval and analysis —driving greater business value.

proficy hmi scada
Proficy Scheduler / ROB-EX

This software enables you to create and maintain dynamic and efficient production orders in real time based on resources and asset capacity. The modular production scheduling system can be used as a standalone solution or integrated with ERP and MES systems.

End of Result
MES Calculator

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Calculate MES Software Value & Benefits

How much can you gain from a Manufacturing Execution System (MES)? How much can you improve quality, throughput, and efficiency?

Find out with our MES Software Value & Benefits Calculator.

Where to Buy?
GE Vernova
Resources

Blogs

Videos

FAQs

FAQs

What is a manufacturing execution system?
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is a software platform that manages, monitors, and tracks production processes on the shop floor in near real time. An MES connects enterprise-level systems—such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)—to the physical equipment and processes used in manufacturing, enabling better coordination, quality control, and operational efficiency across the plant. An MES’s role in digital transformation and smart manufacturing initiatives makes it a key enabler of modern industrial operations.

What is the difference between MES and ERP?
While both MES and ERP are essential systems in manufacturing, they serve different purposes. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software focuses on high-level business planning, including inventory management, procurement, and finance. MES, on the other hand, operates closer to the shop floor, offering timely insights into production, tracking materials, enforcing processes, and ensuring product quality. In short, ERP plans resources, while MES manages execution.

What is the difference between MES and SAP?
SAP is a widely used ERP platform that also includes an MES module. However, MES refers to a category of software solutions purpose-built to manage manufacturing operations. Dedicated MES platforms—like Proficy MES—often provide more advanced production capabilities, industry-specific features, and greater flexibility. While SAP’s MES functionality exists, many manufacturers prefer best of breed MES platforms for more robust operational support.

What is the difference between MES and SCADA?
MES and SCADA operate at different levels within the manufacturing tech stack. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems are used to monitor and control equipment, typically providing continuous data from sensors and machines. MES sits above SCADA, aggregating that data to provide contextual, up-to-date insights into production processes, quality metrics, and performance indicators. SCADA focuses on machine-level data; MES enables plant-wide execution and optimization.

What is an example of manufacturing execution systems (MES)?
Examples of MES platforms include GE Vernova’s Proficy MES, Rockwell’s FactoryTalk, Siemens Opcenter, and AVEVA MES. These solutions help manufacturers coordinate production activities, monitor key metrics, and improve efficiency. Proficy MES is especially valued for its configurability, strong compliance features, and alignment with industry-specific requirements.

Which industries benefit from manufacturing execution systems (MES)?
MES is used across a wide range of industries, including Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Electronics, Food and Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Packaged Goods. Any manufacturer can benefit from MES—especially those currently using manual or paper-based systems. Many MES platforms are tailored to specific industry requirements, offering features that improve compliance, productivity, and responsiveness.

What are the advantages manufacturing execution systems (MES)?
MES platforms provide timely visibility into shop floor operations, helping manufacturers improve efficiency, reduce waste, increase product quality, and maintain better control over production workflows. By digitizing operations and integrating data sources, MES enables faster, more informed decision-making across the plant.

At a more granular level, an MES can automatically collect data from machines and operators, track production against schedules, and flag deviations or quality issues as they occur. This allows teams to respond quickly to bottlenecks, monitor equipment utilization, and reduce manual data entry errors. MES can also enforce standard operating procedures, trigger alerts for nonconformances, and generate digital records for audits—ensuring consistent execution and easier compliance with industry regulations.

How do you implement a manufacturing execution system?
Implementing an MES begins with evaluating current workflows and creating a digital representation—or digital twin—of the factory. The process involves mapping out shop floor activities, configuring the MES to reflect real-world operations, integrating it with systems like ERP and SCADA, and validating the setup through pilot runs. It requires cross-functional coordination, data modeling, and ongoing support for a successful rollout.

Because MES implementation is complex and highly specialized, many manufacturers choose to work with experienced implementation partners. Professional MES services can help reduce deployment risks, ensure the solution aligns with business objectives, and accelerate time to value. These teams typically offer expertise in solution design, data integration, configuration, and user training—bringing best practices and proven methodologies to support a smooth and successful launch.

Change Management is a critical part of implementing an MES therefore it's critical to partner with a vendor that can help operators, engineers and QA technicians adopt to a new system and way to perform their jobs.

Learn more about our MES Implementation Services here: https://www.gevernova.com/software/products/manufacturing-execution-systems/implementation-services.

What are the key features of a manufacturing execution system?
Common MES capabilities include:

- Production scheduling and dispatching
- Quality control and process enforcement
- Resource and labor management
- Up-to-date production tracking
- Performance and downtime analytics
- Material traceability and genealogy
- Compliance management

These features help manufacturers improve operational control, streamline reporting, and support continuous improvement.

How does an MES support compliance with industry regulations?
MES systems play a key role in regulated industries such as Aerospace and Defense, Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, and Food & Beverage. These platforms support electronic records, process enforcement, traceability, and audit-readiness. Proficy MES offers compliance features especially aligned with regulations in Aerospace and Defense, as well as Food and Beverage, and Consumer Packaged Goods that require oversight (e.g., skin-contact products like shampoo). Built-in capabilities such as electronic signatures help ensure regulatory adherence without compromising efficiency.

Customer Stories

Customer Stories

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