Manufacturing Business Technology

• Monitoring, reporting play key roles in tracking, reducing GHG emissions
  
  By Jim Fulcher, contributing editor (jimfulcher@comcast.net), March 1, 2008
  PPG Industries uses a database solution from ESS, a provider of environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) and crisis management software, to monitor 130 manufacturing facilities. While the system meets PPG's need today, Jerry Osheka, director of environmental compliance for the Pittsburgh-based coatings and specialty products supplier, says PPG is always looking for a better way of doing thi...
  
• Schneider Electric reaps huge savings by monitoring energy use
  
  By Sidney Hill, Jr., executive editor (shill@reedbusiness.com), March 1, 2008
  Looking for a fast and easy way of dropping $580,000 in annual operating costs? Take a look at the lighting in all of your facilities. Schneider Electric, the well-known supplier of electrical distribution and automation and control solutions, replaced roughly 7,000 lighting fixtures in 21 U.S.-based facilities and instantly found itself spending $580,000 less a year on electricity bills.
  
• A better view: Technology improvements make vision systems viable production tools
  
  By Staff, March 1, 2008
  Prudent use of machine vision systems can reduce the overall need for human labor, which is a critical cost factor in developed countries. Quality control processes that currently rely on human intervention also can be error-proofed by switching certain functions to machine vision systems. These are a few of the observations contained in a report titled Advances in Machine Vision Systems, issue...
  
• ARC forum discussions reflect changing operations/IT paradigm
  
  By Kevin Parker, editorial director (kparker@reedbusiness.com), March 1, 2008
  Following a day's worth of conversations, a visitor to ARC Advisory Group's 12th annual Orlando Forum might be justified in having concluded: 1) Corporate IT departments have become the “decider” when it comes to plant operations solutions; and 2) the shortage of plant engineering skills is becoming increasingly severe.
  
• Purchasing's evolution to strategic sourcing is a multistage process
  
  By Karen Dilger, contributing editor (kadilger@comcast.net), March 1, 2008
  When considering the move from transactional purchasing to strategic sourcing and world-class supply management, while there is no sure-fire method for refining procurement processes, there is a five-step process that most companies pass through as they move their value propositions up into higher and higher levels.
  
• New partnership speeds setup of electronic trading communities—and ERP ROI
  
  By Frank O Smith, senior contributing editor (fosmith@thewritinggroup.com), March 1, 2008
  Establishing trading partner communities just got easier given a partnership between B2B platform provider Seeburger and Edifecs, a specialist in streamlined mapping of transaction specifications between trading partners. EDI specifications created in Edifecs SpecBuilder schema authoring and testing tool can be automatically imported into the Seeburger Mapping Designer via a new Edifecs export ...
  
• Risk think tank: Prediction market platform taps the wisdom of employees, partners, customers
  
  By Karen Dilger, contributing editor (kadilger@comcast.net), March 1, 2008
  Anticipating market response can be a virtual guessing game when it comes to launching a new product or determining key features during product development. Traditional surveys offer some insight to customer opinion, but usually their accuracy is questionable since the response rate is typically low.
  
• IDC issues top 10 predictions for manufacturing 2008
  
  By Staff, March 1, 2008
  Large manufacturers will move more assertively in 2008 toward constructing globally integrated business models, according to IDC Manufacturing Insights, the Framingham, Mass.-based market analysis firm. This trend tops IDC's annual top 10 predictions for how manufacturers will invest their IT budgets.
  
• No crisis here: IBM fulfills Wall Street firm's server needs
  
  By Roberto Michel, senior contributing editor (robertomichel@charter.net), March 1, 2008
  Last August, when the subprime mortgage lending crisis triggered the need for more computing power at a Wall Street brokerage, the firm was able get the servers it needed on short notice. IBM, its server supplier, fulfilled the order in three days without resorting to crisis tactics of its own. According to Glenn Johnson, director of supply chain optimization for IBM's Integrated Supply Chain ...
  
• Petrochemical feedstock's unwelcome surprise
  
  By Frank O Smith, senior contributing editor (fosmith@thewritinggroup.com), March 1, 2008
  Price volatility surrounding petrochemical feedstock is a harsh reality that creates distress all along the supply chain. Feedstock is the process derivative—e.g., ethane, propane, and naphtha—that comes out of petroleum and natural gas and is subsequently converted for use in everything from shampoo and solvents to plastics, glue, drugs, pesticides, computers, and cars.
  
• Tips from Dow Corning: How to keep your plants well oiled and running smoothly
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 29, 2008
  A frequently cited study from M.I.T. estimates that approximately $240 billion—6 to 7 percent of the U.S. gross national product—is lost due to downtime, repairs, and damaged equipment caused by poor lubrication. Phil Grellier, Dow Corning global solutions development manager, offers three tips for keeping plants well oiled and running smoothly.
  
• Paperless trail: Parsec automation unveils electronic audit solution
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 29, 2008
  Parsec Automation Corp., a supplier of real-time performance management solutions, has released a new application that can create electronic records and signatures for all changes made to the production-related data. The solution—called AUDITTrak—will ensure a company’s compliance with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 21 CFR Part 11.
  
• Clear signals: SaaS approach makes performance dashboards more accessible
  
  Kevin Parker, Editorial Director, February 29, 2008
  A new company out of Lafayette, Colo., called myDIALS, introduced in February what it says is the first hosted software solution for template-based development of interactive displays to analyze operations, production, and business metrics. Tools maker Snap-on already is rolling out the solution to 4,000 users.
  
• The right system: Infotainment specialist Harrman/Becker tunes global operations with MES
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 29, 2008
  After successful deployments in several Asian plants—as well as a new product introduction facility in Farmington Hills, Mich.— auto infotainment system maker Harman/Becker reports it chose the right manufacturing execution system. But Harman/Becker didn't just stumble into the right solution. It referred to Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) reports for an independent assessment of which system best met its needs. 
  
• Designs on compliance: Kongsberg Automotive tackles regulations using quality, risk management solutions
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 29, 2008
  Dyadem's FMEA-Pro quality and risk life-cycle management solution will allow Kongsberg Automotive to unify its compliance reporting from development through preparation and production, resulting in an efficient way to meet its rigorous quality standards.
  
• Curing complexity: Pfizer Switzerland advances spend management initiatives with Ariba
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 28, 2008
  An early adopter of spend management solutions, Pfizer Switzerland initially sought to lower its costs of doing business. AribaBuyer is used to streamline procurement of simple and complex categories, from orders through invoices and payment. In adding Ariba Sourcing, Pfizer Switzerland was able to shorten tender processes.
  
• Business process automation: GXS and OB10 seek to simplify EU and country-specific invoicing regulations
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 28, 2008
  A new agreement between B2B e-commerce vendor GXS and e-invoicing specialist OB10 will help companies become compliant with global regulations without undertaking a costly and time-consuming compliance process themselves.
  
  
• Sweeping success: Mobile data application smoothes productivity, inventory management, customer service for Tennant
  
  Malcolm Wheatley, senior contributing editor, Uden, the Netherlands, February 28, 2008
  Just weeks after rolling out Dexterra’s mobile field service management application in Spain, Portugal, and Italy—thus completing its European implementation of the solution—Minneapolis-based floor-cleaning machinery maker Tennant has seen a transformation in its operations, whereby some 93.5 percent of service orders are now processed without any manual intervention.
  
• Integration on demand: Crossgate/SAP B2B connectivity yields 16 deals in first quarter
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 27, 2008
  Crossgate AG, which offers business-to-business (B2B) integration and EDI services, is seeing strong response to its recently announced B2B 360 Services for use with SAP solutions, including the Business Ready Network solution for which 16 end users already are reaping the benefits.
  
• Group Outlook: Raw materials, energy expenses are top of mind for SMEs
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 27, 2008
  Chicago-based Prime Advantage, a buying consortium for small and midsize enterprises (SME), says costs for raw materials and energy have been the top concerns of manufacturing executives in this sector during the early part of 2008.