Tough economic times have an effect on all business arenas, and the manufacturing and distribution industry is no exception, says Neil Cormack, EOH Softworx Supply Chain Director.
“It is important during an economic downturn that organisations utilise IT solutions that increase productivity, efficiency and reduce costs.”
Cormack says the manufacturing and distribution industry should consider strategic use of IT solutions when considering ways to tighten their economic belts.
An example, according to Cormack, is real-time integration of a bar code data collection system with an ERP system. “This enhanced production and inventory visibility will drive more accurate scheduling. This then also enables the deployment of an advanced production scheduling tool, which can optimise production throughput, and allow immediate response to demand change or supply disruption,” he says.
“With demand, inventory and manufacturing plans in place, complex manufacturers strive to deliver that final 'edge' of performance by getting down to the details of intelligent production scheduling. The secret to success is for manufacturers to make full use of their production assets, and meet demanding dispatch schedule times,” says Cormack.
Production planners require powerful tools and solutions that are integrated with the ERP system, and assist in overcoming everyday challenges and changes, such as change in demand or disruption in supply. Cormack says that Infor's Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions for manufacturing are functionally advanced, and also constraint-based.
Taking into account real-world situations, and providing planners with an off-the-shelf, but configurable, and therefore tailor-made solution. When considering scheduling tools, companies should choose a solution that is able to intelligently schedule manufacturing across all production lines to meet customer deliveries, minimise lost time and lower manufacturing costs.
“Accurate and timely decision-making is dependent on real-time visibility of the shop floor,” says Cormack “Tools that help create optimal manufacturing schedules by co-ordinating plant activities with market demand and production realities provide this insight.”
Cormack concludes that for companies to survive the current economic environment, they are being forced to implement IT solutions that lower their downtime and overtime, resulting in higher throughput, lower costs, more reliable customer service, and ultimately, higher returns.
Share
Softworx
Softworx is a successful South African business applications company that prides itself on being able to deliver world-class products to its extensive customer base, which includes a number of Fortune 500 companies. In addition, Softworx supports clients in industries ranging from manufacturing, retail, distribution and financial, to supporting various government entities. The company is dedicated to marketing, implementing and providing support for its range of complementary software products to medium and large enterprises that require effective solutions to optimise their business processes.
Softworx has positioned itself as a leading provider of business applications in South Africa, specialising in end-to-end business solutions. The company prides itself on being able to deliver true value to its customers through the implementation of business solutions based on a powerful combination of leading-edge products and consultancy. As a wholly owned subsidiary of EOH, Softworx has increased the number of services and products that can be offered to its customers from within the group.
Infor CRM
Infor's market-leading suite of CRM software products provides organisations with a comprehensive offering for marketing, sales, service and customer analytics. Infor CRM Epiphany powers the CRM operations of some of the world's leading companies, in key industries such as financial services, retail, hospitality and telecommunications. Infor CRM Epiphany helps organisations understand, anticipate and serve customer needs across all channels to increase sales and brand loyalty. For more information, please visit http://www.infor.com/solutions/crm/.
Infor
At Infor, we work with a core belief. We believe in the customer. We believe that the customer is seeking a better, more collaborative relationship with its business software provider. And a new breed of business software: created for evolution, not revolution. Software that's simple to buy, easy to deploy and convenient to manage. Our 70 000 customers in more than 100 countries and 8 000+ employees stand with us. We look forward to your sharing in the results of our belief. There is a better way. For additional information, visit http://www.infor.com.
EOH
Listed company EOH is the largest enterprise applications provider in SA, and one of the top five IT service providers. EOH follows the consulting, technology and outsourcing model to provide high-value, end-to-end solutions to its clients in all industry verticals. For more information, visit: http://www.eoh.co.za.
Editorial contacts