On-demand business management software provider NetSuite Inc. has brought out a suite of products tailored to manufacturing companies. NetSuite for Manufacturers includes functionality for assembly, work order, bill of materials, and inventory applications, the company said. The suite is intended to take direct aim at mid-sized manufacturers that otherwise might be inclined to buy SAP's on-demand Business ByDesign product, which SAP announced in September 2007 but has yet to roll out.
The new release builds on the core functionality contained in NetSuite's Wholesale/Distribution Edition, adding manufacturing-specific modules, most notably Work Orders, said Malin Huffman, senior product manager at NetSuite. With the module, manufacturers "can not only track item sales, but demand for those items," Huffman said.
"NetSuite has been offering vertical suites for the wholesale/distribution industry for a while with a proven track record," said Bruce Richardson, AMR Research's chief research officer, in a statement. "Until this release from NetSuite, there haven't been any broad SaaS product offerings that include financials, CRM, e-commerce, and manufacturing."
NetSuite for Manufacturers is intended for use by companies in light manufacturing industries, many of which already are users of the NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition. "Over the past several years, in working with our wholesale and distribution customers, we realized many are also light manufacturers who make some or all of their products with fairly straightforward processes," Huffman said.