Process Manufacturing White Papers and Demos

Small and mid-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers are struggling to manage large group purchase organization (GPO) contracts, process heavy volumes of chargeback submissions and ensure pricing policies are fully compliant with regulatory requirements.

In response to the many highly publicized large scale food recalls that have occurred over the last few years and diminishing consumer confidence, both regulators and the industry are responding with stricter guidelines and policies to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply. As a result of this increasing scrutiny, along with the growing complexity of the food supply chain, many food company executives are re-examining their ability to ensure the safety and quality of their products.

In the years leading to 2000, many manufacturers realized it was necessary to prepare for a potentially disruptive transition in the IT functions when the turn of the century arrived. With thoughts of internal systems not functioning properly - or even stopping the manufacturing processes altogether - action was required.

ERP solutions are data-driven. This is arguably the most beneficial technology feature because it alerts users to the specific inventory needs right down to quantities and timing. The right ERP tool can analyze historic and current data such as customer orders, inventory balances, usage/shipment of each product, seasonal trends, etc. and apply these insights to future inventory predictions. Armed with this knowledge, manufacturers can make more intelligent decisions regarding how much inventory to keep in stock and how best to respond to customer demand, regardless of seemingly unpredictable fluctuations. This help ensure investments are being made in the right place and that operations remain efficient.