Page 6 - MetalForming August 2011

Editorial Brad F. Kuvin
Coming Soon:
The Manufacturing ERP Experience
In an executive summary by Paul Hamerman, vice president and principal analyst at For- rester Research, we learn that “now is the perfect time for business process professionals to revisit their current enterprise resource planning (ERP) application commitments and
future ERP plans. Companies investigating the pros and cons of such decisions will face a wider choice of ERP offerings than previously available. Vendor consolidation, industry specialization, and the introduction of newer technologies that improve business process flexibility will fur- ther change the vendor landscape.”
If you feel the urge to revisit your ERP commitments, I recommend that you attend The Manufacturing ERP Experience, August 23-24 in Chicago, IL. Presented by MetalForming mag- azine, the 1.5-day conference features keynote presentations on software developments as well as strategies for cost justification and implementation. Also on the agenda are several case- study presentations describing ERP installations at metalforming companies. And, attendees will have the opportunity to kick the tires on the latest-greatest ERP software solutions from these industry-leading vendors: Epicor, Plex, Global Shop Solutions, Sescoi and Consona.
Two of the event’s three keynote presenters have contributed articles for this issue of MetalForming. Beginning on page 20, Cindy Jutras, principal with Mint Jutras LLC, an independent research- based consulting firm, discusses the strategies that manufacturers can consider when purchasing their next ERP system. At The Manufacturing ERP Experience, Cindy will present a keynote address titled, Can Your Small Business Afford ERP?...or, Can You Afford to Operate Without It?
On the agenda are several case-study presentations describing ERP installations at metalforming companies.
Beginning on page 24, ERP software analyst Frank Scavo describes the cost drivers related to ERP implementations. At The Manufacturing ERP Experience, he’ll deliver a keynote address titled, Trends in Manufac- turing ERP; Recommendations for ERP Users.
Out third keynote presenter, Eric Kimberling, president and chairman of Panorama Consulting Solutions, has penned an article titled, What Every CIO Should Know about ERP Implementations. You can view Eric’s article online at www.metalformingmagazine.com; in Chicago, Eric will conduct an ERP implementation boot camp.
Attendees of The Manufacturing ERP Experience also will hear man- ufacturers present case studies describing their successful ERP implementation. Learn how fastener manufacturer Termax Corp., Lake Zurich, IL, transitioned from on-premise ERP to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. Discussion points include inventory and lot-control management; visibility into outside service providers; and enhanced inventory traceability
through bar coding.
Also on the agenda is a presentation from Arpac Group, Schiller Park, IL, an OEM manu-
facturer of packaging machines. Arpac began its lean journey by implementing a new ERP sys- tem tasked with minimizing human intervention into routine processes.
A third case study, from Automation Tool & Die, Inc. (ATD), Brunswick, OH, explains the company’s recent investment in ERP software to track transactions and identify areas to increase profitability. Attendees will learn how capacity planning via the ERP software has allowed the firm to reduce its steel inventory and optimize cash flow.
Learn more about The Manufacturing ERP Experience and register to attend at www.met- alformingmagazine.com/ERP. I look forward to seeing you there.
Editor
bkuvin@pma.org www.pma.org/blog
4 MetalForming/August 2011
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