Royal Agio Gains Global Insight With QAD ERP

Royal Agio Cigars (Agio Cigars) is a leading European cigar manufacturer. The company produces more than 750 million cigars per year distributed in more than 100 countries under brands that include Mehari’s, Panter, Balmoral and De Huifkar. With headquarters in Duizel, Netherlands, the company employs more than 2,000 people and posts annual turnover of approximately 100 million euros.

For several decades, Agio has relied on custom-made software and had to make use of one-off spreadsheets to analyze their data. Recently hired CFO Tom Mens wanted to implement an integrated business solution, and the search for a manufacturing-focused solution began.

After narrowing down the field, Agio chose QAD. According to Mens, “We chose QAD because QAD was able to do the complete implementation. QAD is focused on manufacturing, which makes its applications truly lean. This makes management easier.” By implementing QAD ERP, Agio saw improved efficiencies in many areas, including elimination of extra work and fewer information silos. They were also able to get more insight and visibility into their business processes through QAD Enterprise Applications.

To read more, and learn about the benefits of QAD ERP for manufacturers, visit the QAD news blog.

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Coming in August 2016:

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, our 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

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Global Toy Supplier to Gain Visibility with NetSuite Cloud ERP

HobbyLink Japan Inc., distributor of Japanese toys and hobby products to consumers and retail businesses across the globe, has recently selected NetSuite OneWorld to support its global expansion plans. HobbyLink will run its mission-critical business processes on NetSuite, including accounting, financials, inventory management and order management.

Established in 1995, HobbyLink supplies some of the world’s finest hobby kits, figures and toys. It has a catalogue of 125,000 SKUs and actual inventory of 60,000 items that can be ordered online and shipped to customers and collectors around the world. Currently, 30 percent of sales go through hobby shops and the other 70 percent through ecommerce.

While the company enjoyed significant business growth over the last ten years, it had challenges with its existing on-premise accounting system and numerous Excel sheets that created extensive manual work and were error prone. Employees had to hand code most of the customer queries and responses. This ultimately hampered the company’s ability to manage growth.

After a rigorous evaluation of software solutions, HobbyLink chose NetSuite OneWorld for the following reasons:

◾Inventory management that can provide visibility into stock levels and when to replenish.
◾Order management that can centralize all orders and process them efficiently, helping to eliminate manual processes.
◾Real-time visibility with one single unified financial system of record and financial reporting across the entire organization.
◾360-degree view of its customers, allowing the company to better segment its customer base and tailor promotions.
◾A modern, intuitive user interface that will require minimal training.

NetSuite OneWorld will also manage HobbyLink’s “Private Warehouse” System, which will allow customers to pay for an order but hold them in the company’s warehouse until they are ready to receive them.

To read more, visit the NetSuite Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

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Coming in August 2016:

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, our 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Register NOW for the 2016 Roadshow: June 8 in Chicago

Are You in Chicago, IL on Wednesday June 8, 2016?

The 2016 Roadshow is a FREE morning of networking and knowledge sharing on the topics of:

•business process management
•decision management
•business transformation
•process mapping and benchmarking
•and more!

Join our Business Process Improvement consultant Todd Snover from8:30am to 1:00pm at the 2016 Roadshow hosted by Signavio & APQC.

This catered breakfast and lunch event at the Hilton Chicago gives you a chance to speak directly with fellow process professionals where you will learn about how others are implementing current best practices and look ahead to the future of process excellence. Register For Free Now and attend for a chance to win prizes valued at over $1500!

See this link for more details about this interactive and informational event! http://www.signavio.com/events/2016-roadshow-chicago/

Thanks! The Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services Business Process & Systems Group http://bswllc.com/bpi/

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

For 2016 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/2016_BSW_Distribution_Interactive_Website_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2016DSG

For 2016 Manufacturing Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/2016_BSW_Manufacturing_Interactive_Website_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2016MFG

Coming in August 2016:

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, our 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

New Epicor Eagle Designed to Help Drive Sales, Customer Satisfaction

Epicor, a provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth, recently introduced a new version of its Epicor Eagle for the Automotive Aftermarket. The software features dozens of additional business-building capabilities and other enhancements designed to drive sales growth and increased operational efficiency for distributors and jobbers of automotive and commercial vehicle replacement parts.

New features available through the latest Eagle software cover virtually every functional area within a vehicle parts enterprise, from purchasing and inventory management to accounting and point of sale (POS) operations.

Among the leading new capabilities are Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) “smart card” functionality for Eagle software users who rely on the Epicor Payment Exchange or First Data credit card processing solutions. Smart card technology is quickly becoming the predominant choice of U.S.-based banks. According to MasterCard, more than two-thirds of MasterCard-branded credit cards issued in the U.S. now feature embedded computer chips, an increase of 51 percent since October 1, 2015.

Also featured in the software is a time saving new centralized workflow for Physical Inventory processes, with all tasks now consolidated into the Physical Inventory Posting (PIP) application.

A new Vendor Report Card feature enables users to quickly move relevant data into the Epicor Compass analytics application for a complete vendor performance analysis. This new capability is designed to help Eagle for the Automotive Aftermarket software users negotiate the best possible terms and promote better service.

Additional features and related enhancements include integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP accounting software, increased launch speed of Eagle N Series applications, several new Dynamic Promotions options, the ability to issue Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments to vendors, and a cloud-based, live Eagle Online Help feature that offers the correct help files based on the user’s system configuration.

To learn more, visit the Epicor Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

For 2016 Distribution Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/2016_BSW_Distribution_Interactive_Website_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2016DSG

For 2016 Manufacturing Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/2016_BSW_Manufacturing_Interactive_Website_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2016MFG

Coming in August 2016:

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services, our 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Advisory Services and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Millar Inc. Manufacturing Sees Improved Productivity With ECi's M1

As a leading provider of neurological and cardiac catheters to the clinical and research segments of the healthcare market, Millar, Inc. not only has to meet a heavy burden of government regulations but also faces the hard reality that anything less than perfection in production could become a source of major problems for someone further down the line. However, since the company switched to ECi's M1 ERP system, they’ve been more than able to meet those challenges and a few more besides!

The healthcare market is growing and Millar itself has been very much on a growth curve. In 2010, headcount at the company stood at about 105; today, it’s exceeded 140. Prior to converting to M1, on-time delivery rates at the company hovered around the low 90s. Today, they’re touching 99%.

In addition, most of Millar’s manufacturing is built to stock rather than custom product and the superior visibility M1 provides has allowed the company to keep inventory levels lean while keeping on-time delivery rates high. With M1, the company has a level of confidence about its inventory that it just didn’t have before converting. The result: the company is no longer ordering product it doesn’t need and overall supply chain management is significantly better.

Also much improved as a result of the switch is the company’s ability to keep the government happy. The company lot-tracks raw materials and components and serial-tracks finished goods for its entire product line. Since switching to M1, production managers can now pull up at any point in the production process a lot number or serial number and see the complete history of that item.

The company's reporting capabilities have also become easier and less time consuming. M1’s stock status and inventory re-order reports provide additional information to operators and satisfy additional regulatory requirements.

Converting to M1 has brought significant benefits to the company over the past three year and they're looking forward to more of the same going forward.

To read more about ECi's M1 ERP system for manufacturers, visit the ECi Customer Center.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

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For 2016 Manufacturing Software Guide: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/2016_BSW_Manufacturing_Interactive_Website_Guide.pdf?utm_source=DownloadInteractive&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=2016MFG

 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Rancon Automobiles Selects IFS Applications For Mission Critical Processes

IFS, a global enterprise applications company, recently announced that Rancon Automobiles Limited and Rancon Autos Limited, subsidiaries of the Rangs Group, have chosen to deploy IFS Applications™ to support mission-critical processes such as finance, distribution, service and maintenance, and human resources.

Rangs Group is one of the largest Bangladeshi industrial conglomerates with interests in automobile, electronics, real estate and shipping sectors. Rancon Automobiles Limited is a leading importer of various types of commercial vehicles in Bangladesh and is currently the sole distributor of several Asian commercial automotive brands. Rancon Autos Limited is the sole distributor of MAHINDRA brand commercial vehicles in Bangladesh.

When fully implemented at Rancon Automobiles and Rancon Autos, IFS Applications will be used by more than 400 staff across the Rangs Group, empowering group management with enhanced transparency and business control. “Our ambition is to run a single platform across all our subsidiaries so that we have greater visibility of operations, profitability, and efficiencies across the group,” Rangs Group Bangladesh Chairman Romo Rauf Choudhury said. “We want to drive the group forward and take advantage of the economies of scale when dealing with suppliers and principals, and a central platform will help us achieve this. We have had a great relationship with IFS, which is why we have decided to expand our existing IFS platform to support additional companies in the group.”

To read more about IFS Applications™ and the Rangs Group implementation, visit the IFS Newsroom. 

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2016 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

  

The CDA Group Selects Demand Solutions' DSX Platform

Demand Management Inc., a global resource for supply chain management solutions, recently announced that it will be providing supply chain planning solutions to The CDA Group, a major provider of kitchen appliances in the United Kingdom.

Demand Management will provide Demand Solutions DSX Forecast Management and Requirements Planning solutions to The CDA Group to achieve its goal of standardizing its supply chain planning processes on one platform.

“Our existing systems were clunky and we had to use three or four different pieces of software to get the job done. Demand Solutions modules aligned themselves exceptionally well with our processes right out of the box.” explains Steve Boswell, supply chain manager, The CDA Group.

Using the company’s previous supply chain planning applications, The CDA Group’s planning team needed one week to sort through forecast data and get it loaded into the system. With Demand Solutions DSX Forecast Management, they can now update the numbers daily. Rather than continuing to rely on various in-house software solutions and spreadsheets, The CDA Group will now run its business on the integrated, highly stable Demand Solutions DSX platform. This will not only give the company greater protection against system crashes and data loss, but also enable planners to run what-if scenarios that provide a clearer picture of the future.

To read more, visit the Demand Solutions Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2016 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.