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The modern world has a big electronics habit and it’s getting bigger all the time. Electronic devices keep us connected and on the go, but when they break or become obsolete—which is often very quickly—they frequently end up in the trash. Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a problem not only because of the volume of material that is being discarded, but also because some components can cause serious pollution. During 2014 alone, nearly 42 million tons of e-waste was created around the world. E-waste recycling is growing, however. In the United States, about 29 percent of e-waste was recycled in 2012, up from 19.6 percent in 20101. Better still, the world is recognizing that past recycling practices, such as sending devices to developing countries for disassembly and disposal (where they are often harmful to local environments) can be replaced with something better. That improvement is circular manufacturing, in which materials are collected to be refurbished or re-manufactured. Flex and Sinctronics realized that a market such as the region around São Paulo, Brazil, where manufacturing and re-manufacturing sites are close together, could help them showcase the true potential of a circular economy.

ROSS DIGITAL had a concept of an automated barista, RATIO, which could serve a range of beverages throughout the day and night. The idea was to have a system where customers could place orders via an app by scanning a QR code, and a robotic arm would prepare the beverage. The challenge was to bring this concept to life, from sketch to a ready-to-market product. The project required mechanical design, software logic and IPC coding, PLC, robotic arm programming, safety features positioning, electric circuitry, water and air management, supply chain setup for parts fabrication, full assembly integration, and stress tests.

As business evolved at Port City Logistics, so did their 180,000 square foot warehouse and its primary use. They had undergone a conversion of their warehouse from a set up utilizing area lighting to reconfiguring the 80% of the space to house rack storage. This created a challenge replacing outdated lighting technology and a need to redesign their lighting floor plan as a whole. After the modification, this also presented a huge illumination challenge, with all the lights placed now in the wrong place. On top of the placement issue, the incumbent lighting system consisted of T5 fluorescent lighting. This outdated lighting not only added to a dismal light level problem but also experienced expensive energy consumption, high maintenance costs and safety concerns regarding broken glass and mercury content.

The pressure to create more fuel-efficient vehicles is mounting due to a mixture of government regulations and environmentally conscious consumers. One automaker wanted to improve its fuel efficiency by exploring an emerging trend in vehicle design—active grille shutters. These are shutters that are integrated into the vehicle’s front intake grille to alter the flow of air to the engine, promoting cooling when open and fuel-sparing aerodynamics when closed. Active grille shutters are a relatively new technique in automotive design, and they carry some challenges, particularly in safety and durability. For example, the vendor must be confident that a grille won’t get stuck in ways that would affect vehicle performance or overheat the engine.

temi, the company behind the personal robot, was facing challenges with the mechanical design and assembly processes for the robot assistant. They were also dealing with cost pressures that were impacting their go-to-market strategy of making an intelligent, mobile, personal robot affordable to consumers. They needed a partner to help them overcome these challenges and implement effective strategies for supply chain management and manufacturing.

NEXTracker, the world's leading provider of solar tracking devices, faced a challenge in establishing secure connections between its solar trackers and its cloud data center. The company's solar trackers, which adjust the orientation of solar panels throughout the day to maximize energy capture, required secure data communications. However, the time and effort required to develop an in-house device and data management solution threatened to derail primary development initiatives. The company also needed to ensure compliance with various industry standards, a task that was time-consuming and detracted from their core focus.

Cloverleaf Cold Storage, a large cold storage warehouse company, was facing challenges with their incumbent HID lamps in their 24/7 facility. The heat generated from these lamps was causing issues in the cold storage freezers, as the facility team had to compensate for the heat to maintain optimal temperatures. Additionally, the company was looking to improve the lighting in their facility to create a safer environment for their employees. They were also interested in integrating an advanced control system for monitoring.

Lawler Foods Ltd., a family-owned and operated manufacturer of gourmet cheesecakes, cakes, and pies, was previously utilizing an ERP software system they struggled with for almost a decade. The first of three main issues was the inability to use the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) functionality within the system; an improper fit left their business with individually scheduling for three plants manually which cost them nearly two days worth of labor. Secondly, the scanning aspect of their previous software was a third party add-on that they didn’t receive any support when issues arose. Finally, accounting was also operated via a third party add-on and didn’t function as “true” accounting software, therefore decreasing productivity with the accounting staff and leaving them again stranded without product support to navigate any issues.

Primrose Candy Company was previously using outdated methods of tracking business operations across multiple sources and systems. Data management was manually entered, leading to duplicate data entries and increased chances for errors. The company needed real-time financial and inventory control information that would alert them when inventory was low and what items were needed to fulfill orders. They were also facing an increasing need for quality control measures, a scheduling system that coincided within one system, and a reliable formula storage system.

STIR Foods, LLC (STIR) was an emerging start-up in 2005. They foresaw the potential growth their business could have and wanted to guarantee they were set up for success. Instead of starting with Microsoft® Excel and then transferring data into an ERP system, they decided to bypass other introductory forms of tracking and immediately start with ProcessPro’s ERP solution. They sought a fully integrated ERP solution they could easily implement with little to no customizations. They implemented ProcessPro even before they had their first order, and then began to internally structure according to how the software was setup vs. creating numerous software modifications to match their processes.

Ready Foods was previously utilizing a UNIX system for 15 years that they simply outgrew. They required a system that would facilitate all process manufacturing and business operations functions in a unified system to stay competitive in their growing industry. The company was experiencing an essential need for a software system that would be able to meet their long-term needs and grow with them. Their previous system required them to halt operations for 24 hours to manually count inventory levels. They would then spend over a week keying in the data to find where they had lost inventory from one period to the next. This process not only led to a loss in time and money, but was unreliable.

Cornfields Incorporated, a leader in the private label healthy snack market, was previously only utilizing an accounting system and lacked any manufacturing operations support. In order to grow their business and stay competitive in the flourishing, all-natural and organic industry, they needed one unified system that would manage the accounting functions as well as manufacturing from raw materials to finish goods. They also desired a solution that provided lot tracking and quality control to meet increasing certification standards.

J. Kings, a broad line food service distributor, was previously utilizing Microsoft® Excel for scheduling and accounting needs. As they continued to grow, they required a system that would facilitate all process manufacturing and business operations functions in a unified system to stay competitive in their growing industry. They needed a system that would provide them both visibility of their inventory and production along with traceability of lot numbers. They also needed to control the quality of its products beginning with incoming raw materials, through ingredient manufacturing, all the way to final packaging.

In 2013, BRANDT acquired Monterey Chemical Company, Inc. (aka Monterey AgResources) which was already a ProcessPro client. At the time, BRANDT was operating on Macola ERP software. They quickly unified their business processes and began implementing ProcessPro’s ERP solution within its remaining facilities. BRANDT desired a fully integrated ERP solution that bolstered their growth initiative post-acquisition with robust manufacturing specific functionality. The solution needed to manage their accounting and financial information and provide real-time and accurate inventory and production information.

Hampford Research, Inc. (HRI) was previously operating on a homegrown system that was difficult to maintain and didn’t allow for any upgrades. With a lack of real-time data and complete visibility to all manufacturing operations, they weren’t able to judge on a daily basis what was happening within the company – everything from inventory status to warehouse management to simple financial reporting – there was always an information delay.

IRMCO, a manufacturer of water-based, environmentally friendly lubricant technologies for the metal-forming industry, was previously utilizing a discrete manufacturing ERP system. The system was not a proper fit for their process manufacturing business and it wasn’t going to be supported in the future. This compelled IRMCO to research a new ERP solution. The company needed a system that could easily and efficiently track its inventory levels in a real-time environment. They also wanted to streamline their processes, reduce operational costs, and eliminate dual recording of a majority of their inventory transactions.

All American Pharmaceutical (AAP) experienced rapid growth, necessitating a new facility and additional resources to support its development and rigorous quality control (QC). The company had a long-standing reputation for producing high-quality products and needed to maintain this tradition while protecting its brand and consumers from potential contamination. AAP required a solution that would support its QC requirements and secure the formulation and manufacturing components.

Pacific Nutritional, Inc. (PNI) was in need of a fully integrated ERP system that was specifically designed for their highly regulated industry. They were operating on a manufacturing system that wasn’t connected to the accounting system they utilized. Another search criterion was a strong, committed, client service team to support the software. Finally, PNI wanted to upgrade from DOS operating system to a Windows system. PNI was experiencing an essential need for a software system that would be able to meet their long-term needs and grow with them in their changing industry.

21st Century HealthCare, Inc. was in search of an ERP solution that was industry-specific, cutting-edge, and capable of offering product modifications to meet their needs. They also required a software company that had a quality support team. The pharmaceutical industry was experiencing increased regulatory requirements of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documentation, and 21st Century needed an ERP solution that would provide sound reporting standards. They also desired more inventory control to increase the productivity of the manufacturing process.

Don’s Salads’ previous disparate systems, MAS 90, Parity and ProcessLogic, were a hindrance to their day-to-day operations. The legacy system was heavily customized and the customer support received was minimal at best. Daily operations were visibly slow and lacked integration between departments. Don’s Salads’ staff often spent 45 minutes placing a single customer sales order which involved creating a mock sales order in a separate system to complete the order for manufacturing, and then reworking the mock order to ensure accurate accounting. Don’s desired a unified solution that integrated their accounting and manufacturing functions as their future growth depended on it. “The critical needs that we had were lot traceability, accounting and being able to schedule our production in a streamlined fashion,” said Michele Lyter, Office and HR Manager, Don’s Salads. In their search for an ERP provider, they wanted a true business partner with reliable customer support and a solution that would take their entire manufacturing processes to the next level.

L.D. Davis was previously functioning on disparate systems, a combination of SAGE CRM, homegrown software and paper and pencil documentation/ tracking. Specifically, production scheduling was handwritten which was time consuming and prone to errors. As a made-to-order manufacturer, they needed the ability to track product formulation to provide quality metrics and traceability for their customers. The company’s unique ability to bid on distressed materials required a system that compares use of these materials with the purchase of regular raw materials. Lack of visibility by stakeholders throughout the company prohibited a clear picture of processes, inventory and customer orders.

Hammond Group, a chemical company with plants in the US and abroad, was facing growing overhead costs and lengthy implementation time with a tier one ERP supplier. They had also experienced two unsuccessful CRM system migrations. The company realized that to grow and maintain its reputation for customer care, it needed to invest in systems that would cut operational costs while still focusing on its customers. They turned to Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP Ross Edition to handle their financial and production operations.

Vita Health Products, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in Canada, was facing challenges with its aging AS/400 system. The company was struggling to maintain inventory control, manage cost inputs, and keep products on the customer's shelf. The lack of forecasting capabilities forced Vita Health to carry more product inventory, thus increasing carrying costs and waste potential. The company was also having difficulties in tracking product expiration dates and tracing lot information. The situation became more critical after Vita Health purchased Stanley Pharmaceuticals, which effectively doubled sales volumes and SKU counts. The company realized that its existing system could not meet the growing business demands.

Boston Centerless, a leader in supplying precision ground bar materials and grinding services, was facing several challenges with its existing software. The software was technologically outdated and lacked the analytical features required in the modern manufacturing environment. Furthermore, the support for the software was minimal. The company also had to manually prepare complex specification documents, which was a labor-intensive process. The lead time for processing orders was another challenge that the company was facing.

Primarch Manufacturing Inc. was a long-time user of Sage PFW, an older Sage solution. When Sage retired PFW and stopped offering support, Primarch determined the need to upgrade their ERP solution. The company needed a solution that would fit their manufacturing processes and be easy for their staff to learn and use. They also wanted a solution that would support their quarantine and test methodology, which is a core standard in their competitive private label manufacturing for nutraceuticals. This process involves quarantining everything upon receipt, applying lot numbers, and performing QC tests to verify vendor raw material claims.

BioZone Laboratories, a global developer and private-label manufacturer of cosmetics, topical pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements, was in need of a solution to better manage its common base material and specialty ingredient inventories to avoid inventory overages and shortages. The company needed to manage products by average cost method, by capturing true costs at order, receipt, manufacturing, packaging and delivery. As a make to order business, BioZone also needed a solution that could forecast profitability allowing the company to maximize its investment of capital and resources. Over the last ten years, the cosmetics market has given way to specialty advisors and the boutiquing of the industry, which has been challenging for BioZone as many of their products are oil-based and they have been faced with significant raw material and transportation cost fluctuations.

Premier Research Labs (PRL) is a leading manufacturer of excipient-free nutraceuticals and superfood concentrates. As the company's business grew, they realized that their existing, outdated ERP system was not sufficient to manage their formulas, manufacturing, and financials. The old solution was heavily customized, making upgrades impossible. Departments were having trouble sharing data, and the system's inefficiencies were impacting collaboration across all departments. PRL needed a comprehensive solution that could accommodate their unique inventory structure, where inventory and customers are distinct yet most of the product formulations and production schedules are shared. Their manufacturing schedule needed to have visibility into customer's orders from all sources and produce an accurate master production schedule.

Westwood Laboratories, a contract manufacturer of liquid-based personal care products, was using an older version of BatchMaster integrated with Sage PFW accounting to run their business. However, Sage retired PFW accounting and with it, the older version of BatchMaster used by Westwood Laboratories. This posed a challenge for Westwood Laboratories as they needed a solution to continue running their business efficiently. Additionally, as an FDA licensed company, Westwood Laboratories needed to track inventory lot detail for every inventory item they received into the plant and keep detailed records of all QC testing and results. They needed a solution that could help them manage these requirements and be compliant with FDA regulations.

International Paper, a global paper and packaging company, was facing challenges with its manufacturing system. The company's water-based flexographic ink business was struggling to meet customer requirements due to major fluctuations in customer order patterns. The company had to maintain sizable safety stocks or pay premium prices for delivery of short items to meet customer requirements. As the scale of business grew, so did the severity of this problem. The company realized that the manufacturing system then in place, a semi-custom mainframe-based inventory, sales and purchase order management system, was no longer adequate to support their business. They needed a system that provided immediate access to inventories from all ink manufacturing sites within the company and updated inventories as batches were closed at the various plants.

Cosmaceutical, a contract manufacturer of liquids, lotions, and creams for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, was facing challenges with its existing non-integrated systems. The company was using a series of Microsoft Office tools including Excel spreadsheets and custom applications written in Access. As the company grew, these systems became a limiting factor. Duplicate data entry and accuracy were becoming a problem. The systems covered all aspects of the business, but they didn't communicate with each other, leading to islands of information. One department didn't know what another department was doing. The company needed an integrated system so that anyone in the company could see what was happening with a product at any given time.