IT costs very, very big bucks, and manufacturing businesses depend on it now more than ever. Brian Tinham talks to CIOs about how to get more from less – and sustain it
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When Ideal Standard was going for growth across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, it solved its IT challenges using e-business and integration services. Brian Tinham reports
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Supply chain system maintenance and support costs halved, plus visibility and responsiveness to customer and market conditions dramatically improved: those are among key benefits at Leica Microsystems from implementing combined business process management and web integration software
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Italy's legendary motorcycle maker is implementing a lean demand-driven supply network on the back of Oracle E-Business Suite. Brian Tinham explains
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Since foils and llaminates manufacturer API went live with Oracle’s E-Business suite at its Laminates Division in the north west about 12 months ago, it has rolled the ERP system out across five UK locations despite the usual business challenges. API IS director Iain Anderson reckons that by the end of this year, the company will be live across all its global businesses: that’s five operating groups and 15 locations. And he says that speed of deployment is because of Oracle’s On-Demand hosting and consulting services, its BPEL (business process execution language) Process Manager, which uses Web Services interfaces, and its templated business processes – and prioritising
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Overdue orders have been completely eliminated and production lead times cut by 78% at £30 million bespoke push-buttons and control systems manufacturer Dewhurst – thanks to a company-wide lean improvement initiative in tandem with implementing a new consolidated ERP system covering the UK and its subsidiaries in Canada, the USA and Australia
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Automotive companies in the West are suffering. Late last year General Motors announced 30,000 job cuts and production to stop at 12 plants – stimulating none other than Bill Ford of arch-rival Ford Motor Company (itself expected shortly to announce painful restructuring) to plead for one of the US’ key domestic industries. Detroit is in trouble. And so increasingly is western Europe’s automotive sector as over-production, outdated sales and manufacturing strategies, consolidation, regulation and outsourcing, all take their toll. It’s all symptomatic of a very mature, complex, multi-national industry, coming out of government-sanctioned protection and facing huge demands from dealers and customers – alongside crushing competition
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Should you keep your IT and network infrastructure cards close to your chest, or turn some of them over to an outsourcing company. Dom Pancucci looks at the pros and cons
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Working capital is coming down sharply at £37m injection moulded plastic parts supplier Birkby’s Plastics in Liversage, since go-live of a QAD eB2 enterprise system in February last year across all three of its business units. Moving more to
consignment stock alone will take out £100,000, according to Steve Harrison, Birkby’s quality and systems director.
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Your ERP and/or PLM systems are in place managing the business, but could you be doing better? Brian Tinham examines the arguments
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IT hosting has always been great in principle, but manufacturing SMEs haven't rushed at it. Now that situation might be changing, says Dom Pancucci
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The business world is feeling the impact of the introduction of multiple corporate governance regulations, originating in the US and elsewhere. Dom Pancucci looks at some of the implications for our IT
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Lean manufacturing ideas were around before 1994, but the goals and supporting IT have moved on immensely. What remain to be sorted are attitude, culture and budget, writes Andrew Ward
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Revamping any enterprise IT infrastructure is a considerable challenge. Brian Tinham talks to API about its ongoing global implementation
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Making a success of a project, when everyone from the managers down is saying 'Couldn't we just do…' is tough. Andrew Ward talks to some who have been there, and finds useful direction
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Harnessing Lean thinking is crucial to building a sustainable manufacturing company in the 21st century. Dr Charles Clarke examines the issues
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It's no longer necessary to shoehorn your business into the available IT, no matter what you're told. Andrew Ward establishes how to get IT to serve the business now and into the future
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Building and maintaining a 'good' IT team is as important as the systems and infrastructure you select. Brian Tinham talks to those who are getting it right
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It’s always been important, but now your supply chain can make or break you. Brian Tinham talks to Alan Waller, visiting professor at Cranfield
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Manufacturing Business IT Award winner George Adams is reaping the benefits of a convincing top-to-bottom ERP-plus implementation
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Don’t avoid fashionable business initiatives, but do retain your business sense and long term thinking, says Rod Clarke to Brian Tinham
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Here’s how to do a lean transformation tight out into your supply chain without necessarily spending a fortune, says Brian Tinham
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When it comes to setting about an e-business project, the usual rules of management apply – but it’s bigger, there are more pitfalls and there’s rather more to it. DomPancucci looks round the industry for best advice.
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Manufacturing enterprises everywhere are under growing pressure to take the ‘e’ leap. And the claimed benefits are legion. But how do you build a winning e-business strategy? Brian Wall takes up the challenge.
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Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, IBM and their ilk provide the platforms upon which our manufacturing businesses infrastructures increasingly so depend. Brian Tinham dips into their strategic thinking and advice.
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