J.D. Edwards Announces Vision, Enhances Supply Chain Solutions for Industrial
Additional Applications Will Enable IFA Customers to Increase Inter-Enterprise Visibility, Reduce Inventories and Costs, and Effectively Compete In the Internet Economy
FOCUS 2000, DENVER, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- J.D. Edwards & Company (Nasdaq: JDEC), a leading provider of agile, collaborative solutions for the Internet economy, announced today that, consistent with its vision for industrial fabrication and assembly (IFA) manufacturers, it is planning development of four key enhancements to its ActivEra(TM) Solutions. The enhancements will include Manufacturing Project Management; Configuration Management; Release Accounting and Supplier Release Scheduling; and full Web-enablement for its CustomWorks configurator.
"As part of our ongoing vertical development strategy and vision, J.D. Edwards has committed resources to the development of these enhancements for industrial manufacturers," said Dave Hill, vice president of industry sales and marketing. "Simply put, our IFA vision is to:
-- Enable our customers to extend their enterprise;
-- Establish and manage the virtual enterprise;
-- Enhance their customers' experience; and
-- Increase their speed of innovation."
"With the ActivEra Solutions product enhancements announced today," continued Hill, "we will further support IFA organizations as they leverage the power of e-business to rapidly achieve competitive advantage."
Following is additional information on J.D. Edwards' enhancements for the IFA industry.
Manufacturing Project Management
For businesses engaged in contract and engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturing, Manufacturing Project Management will enable enhanced visibility and coordination capabilities. Organizations conducting contract manufacturing, project management and pilot production will benefit from:
-- Fully integrated capabilities for engineering specialized products.
-- Collaborative project management across the supply chain.
-- Increased agility of manufacturing business processes.
Ontario Store Fixtures (OSF Inc.), a to-order manufacturer of high-quality custom wood and metal fixtures for retail vendor shops and specialty stores, intends to use Manufacturing Project Management to enhance its operations.
"As we continue to refine processes in our pure to-order environment, we need a system capable of supporting that business model," said Delvin Fletcher, vice president of information systems at OSF Inc. "The inherent flexibility of J.D. Edwards' software, coupled with Manufacturing Project Management capabilities, would enable us to manage all aspects of a complex, specialized order."
Delivery of the first phase of the Manufacturing Project Management solution is currently planned for the last half of 2000.
Configuration Management
As manufacturers continue to outsource production to improve service, reduce costs and focus on core competencies, the ability to handle configure-to-order (CTO) requests via e-business channels will be vital. Planned enhanced capabilities for these businesses are as follows:
-- Support for virtualization and contract manufacturing for configurable
products.
-- Comprehensive web deployment to handle multiple business-to-business
channels.
-- Increased sales force efficiency and improved post-sales service
levels.
Hoffman Enclosures, a subsidiary of Pentair that manufactures cabinets for industrial power sources and controls, is moving toward a CTO model. "Our customers have asked for the ability to order products configured to their specifications, and we aim to deliver," said Gerry Wilichowski, vice president of business development and quality at Hoffman. "A J.D. Edwards Configuration Management solution would enable us to handle configured orders with increased speed and efficiency."
Release Accounting and Supplier Release Scheduling
With Release Accounting and Supplier Release Scheduling, manufacturers will be able to establish Internet-based collaboration with their suppliers. This will aid in streamlining the supply chain to reduce inventory and shorten lead times.
The new J.D. Edwards solution is planned to include the following capabilities:
-- Cumulative Quantity Management: Calculate net forecast or shipment
authorization requirements from year-to-date cumulative quantities
based on customer unique rules.
-- Release Accounting: Using customer unique formats receive and
interpret orders and forecasts, ship net order requirements and
automatically communicate shipment details.
-- Supplier Release Scheduling: Communicate schedule forecasts and
releases to suppliers and tracking receipts.
Crown Cork & Seal, the world's leading manufacturer of packaging products for consumer goods, plans to incorporate Release Accounting and Supplier Release Scheduling into its operations to increase efficiency in its European supply chain.
"We convert large volumes of raw materials and create finished products which an increasing number of customers do not wish to stock for more than a few hours. Tight supply chain integration is therefore critical in containing our costs," said Paul Jennings, project manager responsible for the European Business Model at Crown Cork & Seal. "These savings can be achieved through real-time sharing of information in a supplier- or customer-unique format. With Release Accounting and Supplier Release Scheduling, Crown Cork & Seal would be able to increase visibility across the supply chain, thereby reducing lead times, quickly reacting to change and gaining a competitive advantage."
Web-Enabled CustomWorks Configurator
Part of J.D. Edwards' CRM solution, CustomWorks, a graphical 3D configurator that integrates with OneWorld, is the only application for made-to-order manufacturers that integrates the product configuration process with technical drawings to generate as-configured drawings on the fly. The additional web enhancements to CustomWorks will enable customers to:
-- Configure products with a graphical user interface and convert them
into sales orders and quotes via the web
-- Support both remote sales personnel and dealer/distributor channels
-- Extend information reach when catalog distribution to the sales channel
is not practical (e.g. manufacturers whose product lines change
rapidly)
Trevi Pools, Quebec's largest supplier of swimming pools and equipment, uses CustomWorks to design pools according to customers' specifications. Using CustomWorks' Web enablement capabilities, the company plans to develop an online virtual store where customers can configure their swimming pools; access photographs, drawings and technical documentation in real time; and send blueprints to contractors for installation scheduling.
"We're building an e-business operation that will provide rapid interaction between our customers, our contractors and our company," said Clement Hudon, president of Trevi Pools. "J.D. Edwards' Web-enabled CustomWorks product will empower us to deliver high levels of service and satisfaction to our customers by pushing information directly to those who need it over the Internet."
About J.D. Edwards Industrial Fabrication and Assembly Group
J.D. Edwards Industrial Fabrication and Assembly (IFA) Group serves more than 800 customers at 1100 sites worldwide. J.D. Edwards' IFA Group provides the tools necessary to extend the enterprise, enhance the customer experience, establish a virtual enterprise and increase the speed of innovation. Its mission is to provide customers with agile, collaborative supply chain solutions that will enable IFA manufacturers to compete successfully in the Internet economy.
About J.D. Edwards
J.D. Edwards is a leading provider of agile, collaborative solutions for the Internet economy. The Company's integrated ActivEra(TM) Solutions deliver supply chain collaboration and fulfillment, and enable business-to-business trading communities in the consumer products, industrial and services industries. The Company's solutions are web-enabled and operate in multiple computing environments.
Founded in 1977, J.D. Edwards is headquartered in Denver and posted fiscal 1999 revenues of $944.2 million. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Company via the Internet at www.jdedwards.com or at 800-727-5333.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act that are based upon current expectations, estimates and projections of J.D. Edwards management, the accuracy of which is subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected, and may be affected by, among other things, delays in product development, availability of resources, changes in technology, competitors' offerings of new products and shifts in market demand. This press release reflects current plans for future software enhancements which may require additional license fees to obtain, and is not a commitment of J.D. Edwards to develop or deliver such enhancements.
NOTE: J.D. Edwards is a registered trademark of J.D. Edwards & Company. The names of all other products and services of J.D. Edwards used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of J.D. Edwards World Source Company. All other product names used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
The historical results stated above are not necessarily indicative of the results of any future period.
SOURCE J.D. Edwards & Company
CO: J.D. Edwards & Company
ST: Colorado
IN: CPR MLM
SU: PDT
06/21/2000 07:00 EDT prnewswire.com |
