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by Hallie Forcinio, Contributing Editor   | Abstract: | Document management and business process software gives Diemolding an edge in the competitive automotive market. |
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems do a great job of recording and tracking the information that is generated from business transactions. But what about all the business processes -- quality documentation, supplier performance tracking or engineering change notification management, for example -- that revolve around documents rather than typical business transactions and, therefore, don't fit neatly into the ERP mold? As one automotive parts manufacturer, Diemolding Corp. (Canastota, NY), has learned, automating such document-centric business processes and integrating them with ERP can yield big returns. It has allowed Diemolding over the last three years to reduce work-in-process inventory 18%, cut cycle time up to 25%, decrease inventory turns from 22 to 18, capture previously lost sales and improve communication and collaboration with suppliers. Diemolding develops and manufactures thermoset phenolic components such as brake pistons and pulleys for the automotive industry. Two production facilities equipped with compression, transfer and injection molding technologies, as well as post-molding machining, produce approximately 40 million parts per year. The two plants, along with a distribution center, are located within three miles of each other not far from Syracuse, NY. [Click to continue] |