Just returned from my well (or not) earned holidays I want
to bring up the subject that I name: "The battle about nothing…" I notice
a current battle between companies that all want to take the lead in automation in the
feedmill (also other industries). I see a clash between:
1. The office,
where Enterprise Resource Program software is managed. This is a responsibility of
the ICT-manager or the finance manager and,
2. The factory/mill, with
its factory automation (PLC/SCADA/MES/DCS). This is traditionally the responsibility
of the production manager.
But subject such
as interaction in the chain, food safety etc. makes it necessary that these two systems (read
disciplines) collaborate well with each other. In the old concept the
factory receives its order, produces and the office sends the bill to the client.
Nowadays, however, at the moment of selling we want to know when we are
delivering. This means a total integration of all processes and information flow
in the company.
Suppliers combat
On the other hand we see that suppliers
become more competitive. The big solution providers in ERP are telling us that
there is no need for the MES/DCS level. There ERP-software can do it. A trend in
between is the emerging business process management (BPM) and software tools for
this work. Basic in this concept is that you describe your process in one tool
so you can execute it in different ones. Of course is there a huge need for a
transparent description of processes, responsibilities and data etc. But the
question is if this is a solution or a toolbox.
Let me be clear that
interaction or the so called verticalisation in the company should be present.
For me there is no doubt about that. But what experience on the floor is that many
times this becomes the battle between the factory and the office. For me, a
useless battle. If you are not able to arrange this properly within your own
company how do you face the battle in the chain?
Let me give you a Dutch example. A group of companies in
food, clothing and finance are working together in a project called "4-C: the Cross Chain Control Centre"
. In this project, the companies share the data with
each other. In this way they can collaborate instead of being competitors.
Based on this information each company is going to the market. This is a
challenge beyond the one we are looking at in verticalisation.
But before going into this battle, please first solve the useless
battle witin your own company. Let me be clear, there is no standard answer for
how to solve this. When you are building a factory and company in a green
field may be there is. But mostly history counts in this.
When a collegue
of mine read this weblog, he said: "Harrij you make me think but you don’t
give the answer." That’s correct there is no the
answer.
Author: Harrij Schmeitz
