That’s the word from Rob Cramer, director for the Demand Driven Suite from QAD, a U.S.-based enterprise applications provider. Powerful and flexible production planning and
demand forecasting tools can help manufacturers optimise inventories, maximise plant capacity, meet delivery schedules, anticipate future demand, and maintain top performance both within the plant and across the supply chain.

With manufacturing customers of every size around the world, QAD has a serious commitment to delivering such tools. Extending its flagship QAD Enterprise Applications Suite, QAD offers planning and supply chain management capabilities specifically
designed for manufacturers in the automotive, consumer goods, food and beverage, high tech, industrial products and life sciences industries.

Two offerings in particular empower advanced planning and forecasting initiatives: QAD Production Scheduler (QPS) and QAD’s Demand Driven Suite (QAD Demand Management).
QPS is a unified planning workbench that gives planners multi-dimensional visibility into the
production schedule and its contributing information. QAD Demand Management encompasses all areas of advanced forecasting, allowing users to better manage inventory levels, promotions and new product introductions.

“QPS gives production schedulers a window into their ERP system,” says QAD product manager Carianne Nieuwstraten. That ‘window’ allows a user to visualise and dynamically interact with MRP information, resulting in rapid and accurate response
to changes in demand and supply. “With QPS,” adds Nieuwstraten, “a scheduler moves from a reactive position, to a position of control, driving their company’s manufacturing and supply chain.”

“The power of QAD Production Scheduler is in its ability to provide a clear vision of all of the factors that must be considered in the scheduling process,” says Mike Ferrusquia, director of manufacturing for QAD customer AJ Antunes.

We’ve seen remarkable changes in supply chains, with global expansion of supply and ever more complex logistical and distribution channels. To stay competitive in this environment
and meet the broad spectrum of consumer and business needs, manufacturers need sophisticated planning and forecasting tools. Advanced planning and forecasting
keeps manufacturers competitive Manufacturers are also increasing their respect
for and reliance on forecasting tools. Says Cramer, “The core of any advanced forecasting application is its ability to sift through millions of pieces of data, uncover underlying patterns, determine the model that most closely reflects reality, and use that
information to provide a prediction of demand.”

Allen Lombard, business systems director with QAD customer Nampak Tissue, agrees. “QAD
Demand Management allows us to capture demand data on a single central platform, and to effectively present the data to the business in a logical way that enables forecasting at national, regional, or customer level across our various inventory locations,” he says.
“Accurate demand predictions consider the impact of scheduled promotional activities,” comments Cramer. “At Nampak Tissue,” says Lombard, “promotional activity can now be explicitly planned, managed and reported on.” Just as important, “The organisation can optimise inventory holding and mix, reduce working capital, and deliver exceptional
customer service.”

QAD Production Scheduler and QAD Demand Management give manufacturers the vision required to anticipate demand and plan effectively. And, these tools provide the flexibility required to adjust plans and forecasts on the fly, as market conditions
change.

Lombard sums it up: “We believe that bestof-breed demand management solutions are a
cornerstone to effective, integrated business planning processes and the associated business benefits.” Cramer will be hosting a series of workshops on Demand Management in South Africa in April 2008. Contact QAD SA on +27-11-461-6900 or lta@qad.com for more information on those events.

Download the workshop invitation here.

Find out more about QAD Enterprise Applications at www.qad.com.
 

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