Regulatory control, formulae, materials, operations management, complexities of managing bulk materials, and integration with production plant and equipment are some of the prevalent setbacks confronting the chemical manufacturing and distribution industry today. There is also the challenge of complying with domestic and international regulations for hazardous materials like REACH, TSCA, and CSIA. Thankfully, IFS Applications addresses these needs by offering a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution for chemical manufacturing companies. Whatever your challenge, whether you are struggling with complex processes, keeping up with regulation, or simply trying to take the business away from spreadsheet proliferation to build a more cohesive organization, IFS has the solution for you. Here are three reasons why IFS is perfect for chemical manufacturing:
Better Visibility
Many manufacturing companies struggle to have full visibility into the quote to cash or lead to the customer process because there is a disconnect between their CRM and ERP systems. IFS Applications addresses this issue with its Embedded CRM solution, which provides a complete view of your customers for both processes. At the same time, this Embedded CRM system offers increased mobility. Since ERP users are typically behind desktops while CRM users require mobile access, which requires different user interactions, Embedded CRM includes an Outlook add-in where you can create a new contact or activity without leaving your Outlook client.
Production Scheduling and Change-over Optimization
IFS' integrated ERP solution forms the essential connection between what you sell and what you produce. Even more importantly, it allows your organization to predict what you can and will produce based on demand forecasts, supplier restrictions (delays), and lead-time forecasts. With access to these data types, you can vastly enhance your ability to match production schedules to sales promotions and customer commitments, thereby improving consumer satisfaction. This process also saves costs by optimizing production line changes.
Improved Compliance
Another crucial benefit of IFS Applications for chemical manufacturing businesses is improved compliance. The chemical manufacturing and distribution industry is continuously being subjected to new regulations. IFS is capable of providing up to date services that will help companies comply with domestic and international laws. For instance, IFS' quality management components provide a wide range of offerings to help with compliance efforts. New quality management, Non-Conformance Report (NCR), and Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA) features all make IFS the go-to solution for regulatory compliance.
Conclusion
Fully integrated ERP systems like IFS offer the full-featured power that you've come to expect from ERP, but with the simplicity of streamlined data integration, intuitive user interfaces, and simple process and workflow configuration. If your chemical business isn't taking advantage of having all your critical formulation data in a single location and surrounding it with automated processes to optimize critical success factors like forecasting, formulation management, supplier collaboration, and in-field service, it's time to consider IFS Applications. They're the best and, frankly, the only way to maintain a competitive advantage in today's chemical industry. If you are ready to learn more request a free consultation today!
