Infor recently announced the latest version of Infor PLM Runtime, a comprehensive Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution for the apparel and footwear manufacturing industries. With nearly 40 new features, the new version includes tools to help manufacturers enhance collaboration with suppliers and improve the efficiency and timeliness of new product development and introduction processes. Infor PLM Runtime enables apparel and footwear manufacturers to design, source and deliver innovative products.
Jane Thomson, MD of Softworx, an EOH company and distributor of Infor in Sub-Saharan Africa, says that in today’s fashion industry, rapid style changes dictate that the lifecycle of seasonal product lines may only be a few weeks. This narrow window requires manufacturers to improve supplier collaboration as part of a more efficient supply chain.
“When changes occur throughout the supply chain, Infor PLM Runtime enables companies to adjust without disrupting their normal business processes, reducing the risk of not meeting customer requirements,” Thomson explains. “In addition, a new self-service feature enables suppliers to access real-time information, simplifying communication across the entire supply chain and significantly reducing shipping costs and production time.”
New features in Infor PLM Runtime include:
n Supplier delivery management, which ensures on-time and on-budget delivery of components from multiple vendors to the manufacturer.
n Cross-brand checking, which enables companies who design and produce multiple brands in the same manufacturing facility to ensure the consistency and integrity of each brand.
n More universal symbols for care labels, eliminating the need to translate care instructions for products sold globally.
n Sample order processing, which permits multiple bids to be sent to vendors and automatically converted to sales orders. This capability allows manufacturers to assess new brands and vendors without impacting the production process.
n Improved cost calculators allow manufacturers to model for multiple production and supplier scenarios and make trade-offs as necessary to minimise costs. With this enhancement, companies can identify and certify secondary and tertiary suppliers to source materials quickly and ensure accurate costing.
As more apparel and footwear manufacturers move their production overseas to cut costs, the ability to communicate across the enterprise becomes more of a challenge, says Rory Granros, Director, Industry and Product Marketing, Process Industries and PLM, Infor. “The new enhancements in Infor PLM Runtime enable manufacturers to effectively manage these globalisation challenges and control the flow of product data across their organisation, while improving communication with suppliers during the critical development phase.”
