MIS - management information systems

Partners in information

Mayr-Melnhof Group and DiMS! organising print have announced a partnership to implement a pilot project of the DiMS!' multi-lingual ERP system for the packaging industry. Mayr-Melnhof has 25 plants in 11 countries, claiming to be Europe's leading manufacturer of folding cartons, and DiMS! is a leading supplier of management information solutions for the printing and packaging industry.

"Mayr-Melnhof always strives for superior customer service and end-to-end process efficiency. We think DiMS! might fit right into this philosophy," said chairman Dr W Hörmanseder. The system was chosen based on its ability to streamline the company's vast, complex operations. "In our search for an ERP system, we found in DiMS! a promising package to address our business needs and those of our customers," explained W Hillerbrand, general manager, Syn-Group, the consultancy responsible for leading the DiMS! implementation at Mayr-Melnhof. "We were looking for a system to standardize our processes, centralize critical management information, and equip the company with standard working methods. DiMS!' comprehensive workflow convinced us that DiMS! could do everything that we needed from an ERP system," said Mr Hillerbrand.

DiMS! is said to contain all the functionality necessary in a single software package to integrate fully the complete range of business processes - from estimating to planning and scheduling, pre-press to production, shipping through invoicing.

Shuttleworth production scheduling on show

At this month's MIS show (Birmingham, UK, March 8-10), Shuttleworth Business Systems previewed a new production scheduling module and launched version 3 of its JDF compatible MIS business software.

The new production scheduling module is said to provide a highly visual and intuitive method for organiZing "even the busiest and most chaotic of factories". When fully integrated with the wider Shuttleworth MIS, the scheduling tool ensures that people, resources and time are optimally utilized, even in multi plant environments, the company claims.

The Shuttleworth MIS version 3 now possesses tools that allow the software to be tailored to any printing environment while retaining the system's proven business logic and flexibility. The company demonstrated how the software can improve efficiency and control in even the most complex printing environment, and ways in which it can make the printer's life easier with solutions for estimating, costing, stock control, purchasing, deliveries, invoicing and accounting.

Real-time systems save time and money

MIS specialist Imprint, supplier of full-featured systems for label, carton, packaging and envelope production, unveiled its Automated Estimating software at this month's PIRA organized MIS exhibition in Birmingham. Featuring a full imposition system that calculates the best/cheapest production route, it allows estimates to be produced quickly and easily, including multiple components. The imposition layouts may be printed out or converted to PDFs.

Systems are available either fully integrated or stand alone, including integration to third party software. Features include JDF/CIP4, SQL and Imprint's Sentinel Machine Monitoring.

The company's proven PrintMaster MIS includes new proactive features that keep users informed "as it happens when it happens" instead of having to wade through historic reports. Its production control module is said to ease the chaos of work-in-progress (WIP) by tracking all elements, whether they are machine loaded events or not. It can perform the central task of a 'production diary' keeping track of proofs in and out, OK press, material availability and outwork tracking, as well as the more obvious task of machine loadings. To help busy people, it can email users with things that are about to happen or things that didn't happen and should have, says the company.

It runs live and is multi-user either in master or view only mode. This means that if a job is trapped as done, rescheduled or moved, it echoes on every other user's PC without them reloading it or touching it in any way. Imprint also claims to have a clever way of handling masses of small jobs as well as large, "often a failing with computer driven production control systems".

Another feature is running live, for example through JDF or Imprint Sentinel direct machine interfaces, a progress shadow moves across the T-cards in real time, which, together with the moving time line, shows whether you are behind, on schedule or in advance of your planned position.