ETO ERP: Making the Wrong ChoiceWritten by Roger Meloy
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems offer great benefits to engineer-to-order (ETO) companies looking to increase productivity and decrease cost. According to TR Cutler, spokesperson for ETO Institute, “These benefits come as a result of a successful implementation, but not every implementation is successful.” Cutler asserts that, “One reason some implementations are not successful is selection of wrong system.”The ETO Institute has just published a white paper, “Why Do Companies Choose Wrong System?” This document is written with engineer-to-order companies in mind. It highlights problems facing ETO companies trying to find and evaluate a new ERP system. The while paper provides some time and simple steps companies can take to reduce chances of making a critical mistake. (www.etoinstitute.org) Cutler, who authors
| | Beach Access Takes Market Lead for Small Manufacturing SoftwareWritten by Rocky Smolin
E-Z-MRP, leading manufacturing software system for small manufacturers, announced a new pricing and product structure. According to Rocky Smolin, founder of Beach Access Software, makers of E-Z-MRP, “We see a distinction between those small manufacturers with less than five hundred parts in material resource planning, and those with a need for virtually unlimited part numbers.”Companies like Hi-Rel Corporation have utilized this delineation recently by leasing E-Z MRP system for manufacturers with more than 500 parts. According to Jerry Stouffer, “It made sense given our cash flow and I would recommend E-Z-MRP to other small manufacturers because support is excellent and product is easy to work with.” Stouffer did suggest that manufacturers looking for a customer relations management module should look at something else. However he was impressed with, “…How fast it (E-Z-MRP) calculates our requirements. I have 800 items in database and it only takes 20 seconds.” Small manufacturers with more than about a hundred parts can no longer manage manufacturing process manually or on an Excel spreadsheet. Since more than 84% of all manufacturers have less than fifty employees, there is a remarkable opportunity for cost-effective manufacturing systems like E-Z-MRP. Despite extensive media coverage regarding ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), in most cases these small manufacturers do not require all functionality offered, nor can many afford price point.
|
