Optimize Performance
Enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution system implementation
The Client
A $90M private equity owned provider of high-efficiency solar cells and panels for the government and commercial satellite and aerospace industries.
The Challenge
The client engaged Dietrich to analyze systems that supported manufacturing and accounting activities. The analysis revealed multiple, disparate applications and databases linked by an extremely complex and fragile labyrinth of poorly documented custom integrations. Dietrich recommended upgrading the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (SyteLine) to the most current version and replacing the “home-grown” Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with a SyteLine Manufacturing module. A secondary recommendation was to move functionality from a myriad of custom legacy applications into the new SyteLine system. Our goals were as follows:
- Streamline and stabilize business, engineering and manufacturing processes across the entire organization.
- Increase governance, accountability, internal controls and adherence to critical authoritative requirements and guidelines (i.e., government procurement regulations and quality standards (ISO9001 and aerospace AS9100).
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the revenue cycle, engineering and manufacturing operations, as well as back-office functions.
- Provide a “Single Source of Truth” – one database for all company-wide reporting requirements.
- Eliminate the web of high maintenance customizations and integrations that required constant IT support.
The Approach
We provided program management, business analysis and process documentation in addition to leading change management throughout a challenging transformation. To ensure that the implementation employed leading practices, we engaged and managed a third-party systems implementer with industry-leading technical knowledge in the SyteLine application.
ERP/MES Transformation:
- Researched and Documented the existing IT systems architecture to identify required interactions with complex manufacturing tools running proprietary software.
- Replaced multiple custom-built, stand-alone applications and databases with a fully integrated multi-site ERP/MES solution.
- Simplified the General Ledger Chart of Accounts and leveraged reporting segmentation to reduce the effort Required to consolidate Financial Statements and to improve the accuracy of Financial Reporting.
- Improved operational efficiencies by adding system functionality and automating manual processes.
The Result
Dietrich provided the integrated solution to replace eight legacy applications and a significantly more efficient interface for users in the manufacturing facility. This reduced IT resources required to support the manufacturing operation. The single database shared by the ERP and MES systems simplified financial reporting and increased the accuracy of variance analysis.