ERP for complex manufacturing with SQL server

"Globalization brings with it unprecedented levels of competition—something we are unaccustomed to in America," says Thomas M. Nies, president and CEO of Cincom Systems. "For example, what was once a company making money hand over fist, Boeing is facing Airbus competition. To address this challenge, we need to innovate. Integrated business systems support that."

Speaking at the Cincom Manufacturing Business Solutions user conference last quarter, Nies said his company was responding to the need for global solutions with release of CONTROL for Microsoft SQL Server 2000, its ERP system for complex manufacturing.

"We're not moving away from support for UNIX, but offering an alternative," adds Dan Nichols, Cincom's senior director of product research and planning. "The sheer numbers of large and small corporations resident on the platform, and the number of human resources in the market that understand the Microsoft platform, make it a global solution."

Earlier this year, Cincom released CONTROL for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, and a new version of its Environ for Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004. Thus, with the most recent release, all major elements of Cincom solutions have a stake in the Microsoft infrastructure.

Don Richardson, director of manufacturing industry solutions, Microsoft, says the combined moves will enable interoperability and scalability, matched with lower costs.