Trends to watch in manufacturing execution systems

Manufacturing execution systems are a center of attention these days. Increased regulatory compliance in the electronic, food/beverage and pharmaceutical industries is one reason. In addition, both end users and ERP suppliers are interested in improving manufacturing's connection to the rest of the enterprise.

This month's enewsletter on MES takes a look at how these trends are changing the face of this software.

This issue sponsored by: HighJump Software, a 3M Company >> Featured Report: Comparing ERP WMS Functionality to Best-of-Breed Solutions There are critical differences between the warehouse management functionality of an ERP system and of a stand-alone, best-of-breed WMS. This valuable report reveals the critical decision factors every supply chain professional must consider when comparing these two options. Free Download

Supply chain professionals in the know say it’s about time that manufacturing execution systems, which manage and report on production activities on the shop floor, received their due.

“If you really want agility on the manufacturing floor, you need an MES,” declares Alison Smith, a senior research analyst with AMR Research. Read More

  
Linking manufacturing to the enterprise
The most important trend in the MES market today may have little to do with manufacturing functionality, according to Jeff Nestel-Patt, director of marketing for Brooks Software.

Instead, it has to do with creating interoperability between manufacturing execution systems and the other systems managing an enterprise’s business.  

“There’s always features you can add to increase the functionality of an MES system,” says Nestel-Patt. “But the real gains today are the result of driving interoperability between enterprise systems, like ERP, product lifecycle management (PLM) and supply chain management and execution systems, that didn’t previously exist.” Read More

Finding MES in unlikely places
ERP providers aren’t the only ones asking what role they might play in manufacturing.

So are supply chain execution and logistics providers, especially providers of warehouse management systems (WMS). Read More

Click here for more Software News

Cisco and RedPrairie join Intermec RFID forklift of the future initiative
Imagine a mobile RFID system capable of providing powerful real-time location information and RFID tracking capabilities throughout the real-world environment of a warehouse. That's the vision of Cisco Systems and RedPrairie, who have joined Intermec Inc. and Cascade Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of forklift attachments, to create a concept for a forklift that will build RFID and real-time location capabilities right into the equipment of the future. Read More

E2open, provider of software and services for visibility and control over global distributed supply networks, announced that Aberdeen Group released research that advises discrete manufacturing companies that are seeking to automate supply chain and supplier relationship management to improve visibility and control of their increasingly partner-intensive supply chains to consider E2open. Read More

New Balance teams with Manhattan Associates to deploy supply chain solutions
Supply chain solutions provider, Manhattan Associates, Inc., has deployed components of its Integrated Logistics Solutions(TM) for New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., manufacturers of athletic footwear.  Read More