Above: SYSPRO ERP software gives manufacturers and distributors a multi-platform tool to plan, execute and control production, streamline operations, and manage supply chains.

Industry-built system helps manufacturers simplify complex operations, cumbersome supply chains and the challenges of a multigenerational workforce

December 2019 - Every morning, SYSPRO USA Chief Services Officer (CSO) Gavin Verreyne tells his children three things before he leaves for work, “Have a blessed day, be safe and make smart decisions.” The mantra is one Verreyne believes translates to industry.

“If you think about this in terms of business, real-time information supports smart decision making which, in turn, honors employees by helping to safeguard their livelihoods for the long haul. That drives communities and individuals to feel that a business is investing in them. Industry, business and technology are not tools that have been designed to remove the human aspect but rather to enhance people’s lives,” he says.

SYSPRO USA Chief Services Officer Gavin Verreyne.

The Costa Mesa, California-based company has been in the information business for more than 40 years. Its industry-built enterprise resource planning (ERP) software gives manufacturers and distributors a multi-platform tool to plan, execute and control production as well as streamline operations and manage supply chains, among other tasks.

SYSPRO tailors its ERP product to the needs of a range of users from metal fabricators, industrial machinery and equipment to electronics, food and beverage and more.

Perspective

A three-pronged approach has helped to drive the company’s development and improvement of what Verreyne describes as a robust, single DNA business application. The product addresses the needs produced by a trend that SYSPRO expects will continue as data requirements evolve. Verreyne breaks it down into three major categories: workforce, equipment and business practices.

“Take today’s employees,” he says. “We are seeing a workforce that spans multifold generations. One contributing factor is that many people no longer see retirement as necessary. We think this trend will continue and likely will become more complex.”

With the help of artificial intelligence, machines continue to become faster and smarter. “I remember the first time I got into computer programming,” Verreyne continues. “I was asked if I thought computers were smart. I said yes. But the [true] answer was no because, at that time, a computer could only do what you programmed it to do. Today, machines are using artificial intelligence and capturing a lot more data points to make decisions on our behalf.

SYSPRO automates and integrates core business processes from customer orders to collecting performance metrics and tracking financial data.

“It’s no longer about building a machine that can produce a widget,” Verreyne says. “Equipment has to be able to understand and produce data. As Industry 4.0 continues to expand, questions will focus on how machines collect data, what they are doing with it and how they present the information to the manufacturer.”

The trend’s third component—business practices—is also growing, notes Verreyne. “We have more requirements not just for production and distribution but also from data privacy acts and revenue reporting situations. We have to be conscious of the fact that a lot of these processes, in many cases, are mundane tasks being assigned to bots that are doing the heavy lifting for human beings. We’re seeing a convergence of humans, machines and technology, which leads us to Industry 5.0.”

People and machines

Industry 4.0 introduced a new phase in industrial revolution in 2011, which focused on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning and real-time data. Industry 5.0 describes the increased interaction between people and machines. On many production floors, robots are already performing monotonous activities such as welding and painting in an automotive plant or loading and unloading heavy materials in a warehouse.

SYSPRO’s ERP solution was designed to simplify business complexity for manufacturers and distributors. It’s highly scalable and can be easily accessed through the cloud or traditional deployment methods. Users have thousands of tools and programs at their fingertips to tailor financial, distribution or manufacturing operations with the help of a visual designer.

SYSPRO ERP software is easily accessed through its Avanti web interface and other deployment methods.

SYSPRO automates and integrates core business processes from taking customer orders to scheduling operations, collecting performance metrics, keeping inventory records and financial data.

“SYSPRO is not a multi-product,” explains Verreyne. “It’s a single product that delivers multiple solutions on multiple platforms. We focus a lot on the ability to become the heart of the manufacturing operation. We want to make digital transformation seamless for customers.”

But in a business landscape that is rapidly changing, Verreyne warns against becoming complacent and seeing technology as just another shiny toy.

“We’re at the cusp of companies asking the ‘what’ question,” he says. “SYSPRO is here to create business technology that provides solutions to the ‘why’ questions. Why is something needed and what value does it provide? We help customers answer those questions quicker and easier. SYSPRO is an enabler, not a disabler. It’s a bridge builder that spans industries and yet is an easy-to-use solution for a multigenerational workforce. For us, it’s really about relationships and continuing to deliver a product that adds value to individual lives and to the business communities that people work in.” FFJ