Optimisation software available direct

Optimisation software specialist Ilog is broadening its approach to manufacturing companies, and offering ERP extension software aimed at automating and optimising large company complex business requirements. The company, which sells sophisticated modelling and execution software mostly via ISVs (independent software vendors) like SAP and Oracle, is ramping up its direct sales and services organisation to deliver the solutions direct. Manufacturing industry accounts for about 30% of Ilog’s sales, and the firm sells through around 100 partner ISVs that already use the firm’s suites to provide optimisation and advanced business process automation. But Ilog also has around 500 implementations at manufacturer sites, installed by its own global team. Mike Morel, Ilog’s director of manufacturing strategy, says the firm is now building its global services practice, and aiming particularly at the pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and automotive sectors in the UK. Key areas where he says the firm can help are in extensions to assist with transportation management, detailed scheduling, safety and regulatory compliance and CRM (customer relationship management). “We’ve broadened are offering; it’s an evolution of business rules automation, data management and optimisation. We can build on manufacturers’ existing packaged business systems, which they can maintain as ‘vanilla’, and help them enhance the 20% of their business – the aspects that are unique to them – with specialist solutions that sit on top.” It’s rather like SAP’s ‘xApps’ offering – with applications that span multiple modules to create over-arching specialised additional functionality. “SAP isn’t the only game in town,” says Morel. And he makes the point that the concept works because it saves companies from either having to customise their ERP or CRM systems, or go for best-of-breed applications and deal with the inevitable integration issues. Instead, these systems sit on top, with seamless integration, to achieve the desired enhancements that deliver the specialist functionality that provides competitive advantage. Morel cites one manufacturer that had SAP’s APO (advanced planner and optimiser), but also had issues around complexity of transportation management, production related to energy use and VMI (vendor-managed inventory). “They needed to optimise against all three requirements simultaneously, and our software, sitting on top, did that.” As for applicability, Morel says that APIs are already in place for SAP and Oracle, and that its portfolio is being expanded to include those of all its partners. Ilog says it has already built a framework for rapid analysis and implementation, and will be providing both technology and management and system support.