JD Edwards ramps up its enterprise asset management game

Enterprise software vendor JD Edwards has now released its enhanced Enterprise Asset Management (EAM – computerised maintenance management systems) suite, aimed at plant asset-intensive industries. JDE has been delivering maintenance management functionality for more than 10 years and hundreds of its manufacturing clients run the software. But this release is functionally seriously enhanced, packaged and includes tight integration with the ERP core system. It’s head on competition for the likes of MRO Software (formerly PSDI) with its Maximo suite. JDE says its EAM technology will help manufacturers reduce unplanned equipment downtime and synchronise operations requirements with maintenance – also selecting appropriate technicians, reducing the frequency of repairs, and optimising maintenance schedules. The key is its tight integration with the ERP system. It pushes out the boundaries of conventional CMMS to include links into, for example, project deadlines for what-if simulations, and advice on ageing machine repair versus replacement, and so forth. Analysts approve of the direction. Says John Van Decker, program director at Meta Group: “Current economic conditions are forcing businesses to focus on bottom-line results. Asset-intensive businesses that implement EAM solutions can facilitate the scheduling of equipment downtime and the planning of maintenance outages in advance. “By doing this, EAM can increase the efficiency of their assets, while decreasing the potential of lost revenue (and increased expense) caused by unplanned equipment failures. A solution effectively integrated into ERP processes can add value with an attractive return on investment.” At chemicals and speciality materials maker Cabot, JDE’s EAM is already an important part of its global information infrastructure. In fact, when fully implemented, it will cover business processes including enterprise resource planning, manufacturing engineering management, supply chain management, quality management, and customer relationship management. Says Cabot CIO Craig Bickel: “Tightly integrated with our ERP and other business processes in this environment, our implementation of JD Edwards EAM technology for plant and equipment maintenance will be our standard solution for preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, work order management, and failure analysis. “We believe the benefits for improving our operational efficiencies are significant. As we rationalise our stores inventories and part numbers, the integrated system will give us a better ability to stage and appropriately distribute insurance parts and other forms of maintenance inventory to our manufacturing and distribution sites world-wide.” Lisa Fellows, vice president of cross-industry product management at JDE, says: “[Our] EAM provides customers with an exceptional maintenance system that helps asset-intensive enterprises in a wide range of industries better manage their assets and increase revenues. Regardless of external factors like economic conditions, competition or changing customer demands, EAM can drive more value from enterprises’ fixed investments.”