Apriso Presentation at IDC CIO Event Demonstrates How Manufacturing Clients Achieve Real-time Agility and Visibility across Enterprise Operations

Apriso FlexNet solution delivers real-time plant floor visibility and intelligence, combined with Microsoft enterprise applications, to drive improved manufacturing operational efficiency

(LONG BEACH, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash. – November 14, 2007) – Apriso Corporation, a provider of adaptive software solutions for global manufacturers, today confirmed the ability to add visibility to real-time manufacturing operations business intelligence with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) enterprise applications to improve overall manufacturing operational efficiency and agility. 

An innovative solution now exists, combining the Apriso FlexNet platform for operations execution with Microsoft applications to create a collaborative environment for manufacturing excellence.  Utilizing the power of Web services and the .NET Framework, Apriso FlexNet is a logical complement to Microsoft-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) and product lifecycle management (PLM) applications, contributing to an ease of implementation between the two software provider systems.

The real-time manufacturing shop-floor operations data provided by Apriso FlexNet to Microsoft’s ERP and PLM enterprise systems is immediately actionable for quick, continual improvement of business processes.  This business intelligence feedback loop addresses several challenges faced by global manufacturers, including how to remain adaptive when demand shifts, how to address growing proliferation of product complexity and how to manage an increasingly distributed supply chain. 

“Improved visibility to real-time operations lets our manufacturing clients best manage dynamic customer demand, while at the same time minimizing idle inventory and improving overall product quality,” explained Nick Barnett, director of manufacturing operations for EMEA at Microsoft Corp.  “Another benefit includes the acceleration of new product introductions by narrowing the gap between ‘as planned’ and ‘as executed’ product designs, shortening the time to global market.”

Today, IT is playing an increasingly central role within manufacturing firms.  ‘C’ level and Line of Business Managers now recognize IT is a strategic lever to become more competitive, as is clearly evident in IDC Manufacturing Insights' most recent survey where "IT organization responsiveness and efficiency improvement" came out as one of the most important business initiatives within the Global discrete manufacturing sector, together with "Supply chain efficiency/improvement" and "Product innovation/development."

"Moving forward, we expect to see more and more stakeholders call for a new generation of analytic PLM tools that support innovation, optimize product portfolio management, accelerate time to market and promote product quality and regulatory compliance.  We will see a movement to 'democratize' PLM, and, with that, new ways to use PLM tools," said Joe Barkai, practice director for the Product Lifecycle Strategies practice at IDC Manufacturing Insights.

“Microsoft has historically been an important strategic partner for Apriso; that FlexNet depends on Windows and the .NET Framework is key evidence of that relationship,” explained Chris Will, co-founder and chief technology officer of Apriso.  “Apriso is actively working with Microsoft to continue our relationship, helping each other to best serve mid to large sized manufacturers by providing real-time operations environments for increased agility and adaptability to unplanned events.”

The two firms are actively engaged with several manufacturers to evaluate deployment strategies, as well as how to best leverage Apriso’s ‘Core’ implementation program, effectively treating their manufacturing execution system as an enterprise application.  By using a phased, multi-site roll out model, a joint implementation is possible mirroring the Microsoft roll out, while leveraging global best practices, enabling local deployments to benefit from a worldwide testing ground.

About Apriso
Apriso Corporation is a software company dedicated to providing competitive advantage for its customers. It does so by enabling manufacturing organizations to adapt quickly and easily to market changes and unexpected events. Apriso FlexNet applications provide visibility, adaptability and real-time control of manufacturing operations across the enterprise and supply chain network. Apriso leads the industry in multi-site, globally integrated Operations Execution Systems. Many of Apriso’s customers have chosen to integrate planning, execution and control to increase operational efficiency and eliminate errors in their production process. Apriso serves more than 160 customers in 40 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia, powering more than 600 installations worldwide. A partial listing of customers includes General Motors, Lear, Honeywell, Microsoft, L'Oreal, Lockheed Martin, Becton Dickinson, Rubbermaid, Saint-Gobain, Novelis and Essilor. Learn more at www.apriso.com.

Apriso and FlexNet are registered trademarks of Apriso Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.