Epicor Kinetic Quick Overview
The manufacturing and distribution industries rely heavily on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to manage their operations. Epicor Kinetic...
9 min read
Eric Smith
:
Jan 22, 2022 11:19:21 AM
Perhaps your chemical manufacturing business has reached a point where you need to invest in an ERP to handle the increasing complexity of operations. Or, your paint and coatings company has acquired a competitor and you’re tasked with uniting two incompatible infrastructures. Maybe your ink and dyes manufacturing business need to upgrade a cumbersome, outdated ERP system to Improve productivity, give you a clearer insight into plant and management operations and take advantage of next-generation technology, and leverage IoT.
Whichever category you may fall into, the common objective that these scenarios share is the need to find a chemical manufacturing ERP that will help modernize and streamline operations, eliminate bottlenecks, and unite your manufacturing, sales, customer service, and management teams on one user-friendly platform.
Whichever system you choose should not only help you run your business but should help cut costs by increasing overall efficiency.
Greater efficiency leads to greater profitability made possible by the wise use of today’s technology.
Technology can ease the ever-growing complexity of the chemical manufacturing industry and its regulations and can help support sustainable products, practices and growth. Since the chemical industry has unique business challenges, you'll want to look for an ERP solution that comes fully baked with industry-leading best practices right into the application.
These needs may include:
No matter what the pain point is that your company is facing, your goal will be to find an agile, modern chemical manufacturing ERP that will not only address your specific issues but will help optimize all facets of your organization. From accounting to invoicing to sales reports to regulatory compliance to plant insights, a chemical manufacturing ERP solution can revolutionize business processes and connect teams on one sophisticated platform. You’ll want to invest in an ERP that allows for future growth as your company grows and can scale as market conditions change.
Here you’ll face another challenge: there are an increasing number of ERP platforms that can – or will claim to – help eliminate many chemical manufacturing pitfalls. You might find yourself confused by the competing claims that each is the best ERP for the chemical manufacturing industry.
An ideal ERP solution should empower its users and improve a company’s business processes. It should provide a competitive advantage by providing prompt, real-time insights into ever-changing customer demands and supplier trends. It should contain a customizable end-user interface that delights users while providing them with the info they need in real-time. Regardless of the ERP you choose it should give you greater control and visibility into all areas/departments of the business into a single view helping drive better business decisions and positioning your organization for future success.
Modern ERP software applications for the chemical Industry help company leaders spot market trends, evaluate the performance of workers and suppliers, and spotlight problems and bottlenecks before they become major issues. With detailed insight into all phases of operation, executives may adopt new management practices to improve efficiency and profitability.
With its timely, data-rich insights into what is being produced and sold, ERP applications help managers determine accurate forecasts based on in-house data and market factors such as account supplier delays and customer demand. Insights like these help company leaders align products and production schedules with sales promotions and fluctuations in the market to meet demand and improve customer relations.
Supply chain snags and the rising cost of raw materials needed for manufacturing products are certainly of major concern today. The depth of insight into daily business processes that an ERP provides may help executives rethink product portfolios and pivot as needed for greater earnings and company growth.
Although plant and warehouse maintenance may be regularly scheduled, any manual procedures can be error-prone. An ideal chemical manufacturing ERP should automate both the plant as well as management workflow processes and procedures. ERP platforms support many phases of operations, resulting in better customer service and satisfaction and improved operational efficiency. Chemical manufacturing software has many industry-leading features such as automated equipment health and maintenance prompts. It can also support the industrial Internet of Things (IoT).
For example, many of today’s smart machines send wireless alerts when service is needed or when they are underperforming. Information like this, when integrated into an ERP, allows decision-makers to make scheduling and production changes as needed when equipment maintenance or repairs are necessary. Early warning signals appearing on an ERP interface screen may help manufacturers avoid costly work stoppages due to machine breakdowns. Operational efficiency is improved and there is no danger of the warning signal being overlooked or missed because a worker was absent or manual system checks were overlooked.
Improved operational efficiency and safety are essential for a chemical manufacturing business with a streamlined workforce that wants to position itself for long-term success. Manufacturing processes are sometimes hazardous. While the industry is highly regulated, accidents may occur, threatening the health and safety of employees, damaging the environment, causing production setbacks and creating unwelcome publicity.
A chemical manufacturing-centric ERP has built-in inventory management tools that provide immediate insight into the status of chemicals in storage or in transport to a factory. If an ingredient in storage is near its expiration date, a notification is sent. Chemical manufacturing software provides many automated safeguards that also help protect employees and the environment. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are always at your employee's fingertips, including emergency response procedures in the event of a disaster such as a fire or a chemical spill.
IFS develops tightly integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Field Service Management (FSM) solutions for global manufacturing businesses and possesses deep, industry-specific functionality when it comes to ERP software for chemical manufacturers.
IFS ERP for chemical manufacturing offers many industry-specific features that help companies avoid an overreliance on multiple third-party “plug-ins” / extensions that needlessly increase IT expense and software vendor management.
IFS solutions support mobile applications for workers and sales reps on the move enabling you to unite your mobile and desktop workforce and your production and management teams on the IFS platform for a complete, real-time overview of the company.
IFS has shown it's deeply committed to developing a constantly evolving platform that is simple to use and simple to adopt that supports the growth of chemical manufacturers across the globe. IFS solutions are built to be agile and to support the sustainability of businesses that implement its platform. The company puts its focus on its customers' vision and values and this drives the changes it adds to its ever-evolving and ever-improving ERP for the chemicals manufacturing industry
The first is by helping manage complex supply chains. The second is compliance management. The third way is managing safety and security hazards. The fourth way is by helping chemical companies with product development.
IFS works with customers, bringing them into its R&D cycle, through industry advisory councils to plan for future business models, trends, and opportunities that require new capabilities and technologies in the IFS manufacturing solution.
IFS offers a tremendous ROI with its software’s average length of service being twice the industry average (9.5 years).
Want to hear directly from the customers?
IFS has consistently earned high scores as a midmarket ERP vendor on Gartner peer insights.
It's true that IFS develops feature-rich ERP software purpose-built for chemical manufacturers however the ERP application is only as good as the consulting organization configuring and customizing the software to meet your unique requirements.
That's where we come in, IFS ERP combined with Astra Canyon's deep industry expertise provides a powerful duo for chemical manufacturers looking to gain a competitive edge in their sector.
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