New ‘win-win' IT systems for order management and logistics

20/08/09

 

Manager, information management (IT) Adam Cietak is leading the implementation of new IT systems at Corus Packaging Plus. For the company, it is more than just the arrival of some new software - it is a major change to business processes to ensure Corus keeps up with the best practice in the industry.
"The project will implement new commercial order management and logistical systems for CPP which are already being used successfully by our supplier, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden." says Adam. "The new systems cover all aspects of our commercial information management needs from product and contract master data to order entry. They will also help us manage production capacity, through volume and order planning. This simplifies the process of managing customer forecasts."

Reduced lead times
It's largely an internal change. How will it help customers? "It will allow CPP to reduce lead times for many customers and enable us to be more flexible to meet fast-changing customer requirements," says Luc Brantjes, director commercial. "The programme will give CPP the ability to fully support three key customer demand fulfilment methods, make to order, finish to order and make to end stock, allowing us to offer shorter lead times to customers for a larger proportion of the order book. This will improve our ability to deliver to customers ‘on time and in full'. It will also allow CPP to be more flexible and efficient in how we schedule our production. It's a win-win."

It's a big project for CPP but it has been meticulously planned to roll out gradually and seamlessly both within the business and for customers.
"The new capacity reservations tool went live in September and is now successfully embedded in our day to day processes," says Kees van der Flier, supply chain development manager at CPP. "Order entry is a step by step implementation process, starting early in 2009; all customers will be transferred to the new systems by June 2009. The new, improved customer forecast handling system will be available from Q2 2009 and this, linked with the new logistical planning systems, will make day-to-day orderbook management with CPP a whole lot easier." We will be contacting customers shortly to check master data.

 

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