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Don’t Forget WMS When Implementing ERP Need Integrated WMS ?. Council of Logistic Management Southern California Chapter January 20, 2000 Kirk Prather, Director of Operations Delta Technical Coatings, Inc. Delta Technical Coatings, Inc. Whittier, California, (+Oakland & England)
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Don’t Forget WMS When Implementing ERPNeed Integrated WMS ? Council of Logistic Management Southern California Chapter January 20, 2000 Kirk Prather, Director of Operations Delta Technical Coatings, Inc. DTC/CGR/CA
Delta Technical Coatings, Inc. • Whittier, California, (+Oakland & England) • 200+ employees, 50,000 sq. ft. DC • Manufacturer/Distributor for Craft Industry---acrylic paint, varnishes, glue, stencils, paint strips, kits, foils, and related products • 3,000 SKUs, 35 million bottles/year sold • Key accounts: Wal-Mart, Michaels, Ames, Hobby Lobby • MIS: Mid-market AS400 shop DTC/CGR/CA
Implemented ERP(MRP) 1997 & Now Implementing WMS • Wrote ERP user spec (musts, wants, nice-to-have), scored responses, 5 semi-finalists • Took bids for ERP +WMS software together (generally less cost, AS400 mid-mkt pkgs) • Resolved selection weights in advance • Made thorough reference checks, i.e. 20 pkgs • Computer Associates (CA) PRMS & WMS “Warehouse BOSS” on IBM AS400 • Converted in CA ERP in 4 months, with few modifications DTC/CGR/CA
Delta WMS Issues • Need efficient warehouse design to save $ • CGR Management Consultants conducted the layout/equipment study for the new building • Tradeoffs: narrow aisle, case/pallet letdowns • Implemented new layout & bought equipment, which tripled order selection rates • WMS Software Requirements • CGR Management Consultants helped us prepare WMS specification (musts, wants, nice-to-have) • Then we matched CA’s Warehouse BOSS to specification, which was a 100% match on musts & wants, next release DTC/CGR/CA
Delta Challenges & Issues • In-house expertise & available time • IT, MRP, EDI, WMS • Data inaccuracy and missing data • Procedures, documentation • Training, Pilot testing (very important) • Hardware: response time, disk space • Follow-up, keep improving DTC/CGR/CA
Lessons Learned, software selection & implementation • Know your competitive requirements (musts, wants, nice-to-have) • Good match of software requirements minimizes customization, time and cost • Beware the cost of one software does all • Implement vanilla if you can, avoid mods • Need full time project management, detailed plan and adequate resources DTC/CGR/CA
Need Integrated WMS to ERP? • Yes & No, customer info requirements • order instructions, ASNs, carrier status, shortages, hardware load • Yes, need 2-way information flow, save time and expense if already integrated • No, independence is a plus, i.e. downtime, don’t need much integration, can write min interface if needed but WATCH OUT ($$)! DTC/CGR/CA
Computer Associates, Inc • $ 2 billion software conglomerate • Main frame, mid-market, PC applications • ERP, Finance, WMS, EDI, Utilities, etc. • Unicenter --controls worldwide desktop software from 1 mainframe DTC/CGR/CA
InerBiz Supply Chain Group, Division of CA • AS400 & Unix, ERP & WMS Packages • “PRMS” ERP --AS400, 3,000 users, 25 yrs • multi-company, multi-currency • clients from $10 million to $500 million • “BOSS” WMS--AS400, 200 users, 20 yrs • traffic management available • supports all barcodes, labeling requirements • implementing now into smaller warehouses DTC/CGR/CA
CA Warehouse BOSS • Directed RF instructions (or paper ) • Barcode read, Option-driven supporting • pick types, zone picking, pick multiple orders • various storage types, replenishment types • Mix picks, cycle counts, replenishment • Logic supports • shorter travel distance, less empty forklift travel • determining pallet size/wt, carton size needed DTC/CGR/CA