Microsoft and Siemens launch MES Expertise centre

Demonstrations of Siemens Simatic IT and Microsoft technologies are on offer, with the emphasis on the benefits of seamless information flowing from the factory floor to plant managers (and vice versa) in real time. The new centre is managed by Microsoft and Siemens staff, who offer seminars and workshops designed to show the value of keeping track of production schedules, inventory availability, WIP (work in progress) and so on at the business level. Microsoft and Siemens intend to use the centre to promote the use of existing industry standards such as ISA-95, as well as developing propositions for new standards that will create efficiencies for all manufacturing industries. Siemens has upgraded its Simatic IT suite to include Microsoft Windows SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – while Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 enables manufacturers to seamlessly integrate any ERP system with their production system. “Microsoft is deeply committed to promoting excellence to its clients, and the creation of the MES Expertise Centre in Italy is a clear demonstration of this,” says Lorenzo Pengo, managing director of Microsoft Manufacturing Industries EMEA. "Working closely with Siemens and other partners, we are looking to offer manufacturing customers software that will help them create the most efficient operations possible while addressing one of the most complex and mission-critical IT environments in manufacturing,” he adds. Says Giorgio Cuttica, managing director for Siemens MES Operations: “Via the MES Expertise Centre, both partners will support their customers, dealing with the relatively new MES technologies, in optimising their production processes. [It] will efficiently address requirements and issues related to this mission-critical IT environment both from the technological and from the application standpoints.”