Apriso and Accenture collaborate on software to support lean manufacturing
Solution incorporates best practices from numerous lean manufacturing deployments
Sidney Hill -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 6/11/2009 6:15:01 AM
Manufacturing operations management software supplier Apriso has teamed with global consulting firm Accenture to create a solution that supports lean manufacturing techniques.
The FlexNet Lean Material Flow solution fills some of the gaps that ERP applications don't cover when it comes to managing lean manufacturing environments, according to a joint Apriso-Accenture press release.
The companies said the solution will benefit manufacturers seeking to reduce waste and cut cycle times while improving quality in logistics operations, production, and customer responsiveness.
The solution is a module of the Apriso FlexNet Manufacturing Operations Management platform, which Apriso says provides visibility, adaptability, and real-time control of manufacturing operations across enterprises and supply chains.
"This solution is a collection of industry best practices Accenture gained by implementing more than 150 Apriso deployments at world-class manufacturers within the automotive, mill products, and consumer goods industries," Accenture Managing Partner Christophe Mouille said. "We see this solution as a way to extend and enhance ERP deployments, and consider FlexNet as an ERP module, bringing improved adaptability, responsiveness, and visibility to our client's shop floor operations."
Valeo, a $12-billion-a-year global automotive supplier, played an important role in the design of this solution by identifying key Tier 1 automotive supplier requirements while ensuring the solution adhered to Lean principles, the press release said. Valeo, an existing Apriso customer, is now implementing the FlexNet Material Flow solution.
Apriso and Accenture say the jointly developed solution offers a collaborative approach to dramatically improve Manufacturing Operations Management and execution by:
• Synchronizing material flows spanning manufacturing operations to eliminate idle inventories;
• Improving global visibility and control to add efficiency while lowering IT costs;
• Enabling comprehensive traceability and root cause analyses to improve quality;
• Delivering integrated quality execution and packaged logistics with best-in-class label printing and error-proofing to reduce manufacturing costs;
• Reducing IT implementation and maintenance costs by integrating seamlessly-as an "out-of-the-box" solution-with material, quality, and production management applications.
"We are pleased with how our Accenture relationship has evolved, and are now at a point where the experience gained can be packaged into an innovative new solution," said Jim Henderson, president and CEO of Apriso. "Accenture's in depth knowledge has helped us expand our reach, as evidenced by Valeo's implementation, letting more manufacturers benefit from Apriso's capabilities for improved efficiency through synchronized material flows across the enterprise."
