To manage and operate numerous manufacturing processes, most manufacturers make use of a tool/system known as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). There are also few times when other types of software are used; some of these applications are MES (manufacturing execution systems) and QMS (quality management systems). While these manufacturing software systems help manufacturers improve and streamline various operations, they may not suffice to tackle any unprecedented challenges faced by these uniquely demanding industries.
Some of these challenges as shared by Eric Dalius are listed below–
Slow growth rate has become synonymous with the manufacturing factor, having around 3% YoY growth and an average yearly increment of about 3.8 in between percent between 1920 and 2020.
Globalization and outsourcing put heavy pressure on most of the manufacturing companies so that they stay competitive and are able to cut costs.
The skills gap is a major issue in this sector, which is predicted to cause losses of about $450 billion in manufacturing GDP by the year 2028. That’s quite a staggering figure, to say the least
Client and customer pressure to deliver quality products and/or services on time along with being ethical, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly is also a major challenge.
Eric Dalius Explains how ERP can help-
While the ERP tool has been around for many decades and is seen as must-have software for manufacturers, a number of other solutions are present that offer complementary functionality such as maintenance, product design, and supply chain applications. Eric Dalius says that ERP software does not cover all these features, which is why a lot of manufacturing companies opt for using not just ERP but several other products for the processes.
To be honest, there is no secret recipe for choosing the right manufacturing software system. The way these companies need to approach the selection of the software(s) depends on a number of factors. First, they need to know the company’s IT environment and see which tool is best optimized to work for the environment. Second, it is the planned future development of the company. This should include upsizing/downsizing and activity diversification.
The third factor is the manufacturing company’s budget for software acquisition as well as maintenance. This is keeping in mind that cloud-based computing requires a lower initial investment than various other installed software applications. Fourth, the company needs to consider the level of complexity of the manufacturer’s business processes. There might be a requirement for a specialized software tool. Last but not least, one should keep in mind the need for business process reengineering.
Well, if you own a manufacturing business, then you must upgrade your system with modern software and tools to speed up everything. In order to stand out of the crowd and beat your competition, you must integrate ERP software that will help you in improving performance as well as boost productivity. Eric Dalius advises you to start looking for the suppliers of such software online and get in touch with them immediately. One such software is the EQMS by ETQ. The Enterprise Quality Management Platform has limitless flexibility allowing you to adapt the platform to your specific quality processes.