Priority bookings for ‘need to know’ CIM seminars

Manufacturing Computer Solutions readers are eligible for priority booking at a series of free, first come first served MCS-sponsored and programmed ‘need to know’ seminar sessions at this year’s Computers in Manufacturing 2003 show (11-13 November, NEC, Birmingham), organised by Penton Europe. All are aimed at manufacturing business leaders, and focus on cost reduction and profitability and flexibility improvement through business process change and IT. Top of the ‘must attend’ list are Lean Thinking: a Common Sense Approach, and Benefits From Extending ERP in a pan-European Business – both on Wednesday 12 November. Also, on Thursday, the seminar entitled Low-Cost European Supply Chain Planning, is bound to attract considerable attention. All three are from speakers well know to MCS readers; indeed two are MCS manufacturing and IT excellence award winners. Lean first, and during his session, ‘lean thinking’ consultant Chris McKellen, managing Director of Manufacturing Awareness, will talk about how lean concepts can bring substantial benefits to companies with the right vision, strategy and IT. Manufacturers, he says, need to think wide about their businesses, select techniques appropriate to their targets, avoiding fashion and sticking to the lean principles – and think about involving both suppliers and customers in their culture change. His is a compelling and practical message, borne of many years’ experience with General Electric and Dana Corporation, implementing lean transformations that played a huge part in renewing those organisations. On Wednesday afternoon, Sarah Cobb, business systems director of Moss Plastic Parts, will explain how her implementation of an integrated single ERP system across a high-volume business revealed that ERP was an essential foundation – but on its own, not enough. Her views about adding integrated order management and CRM (customer relationship management), as well as business intelligence and automation applications, majoring on web technologies, should be required listening for anyone wanting to derive business value from their IT investment. Then Thursday 13 November’s supply chain seminar, from Tim Payne, European materials director at NCH Europe, will describe how to bolt supply chain and demand management software onto an existing in ERP system. As well as achieving system payback within a few months, the company also built the foundation for its move into integrated supply chain management processes, like European production planning, demand and inventory management, as well as European purchasing. To obtain your seats and get a copy of the 160 plus-session educational programme email: mcs@pentoneurope.com and indicate which sessions you would like to attend by quoting the speaker’s names. Note that these sessions are just part of an extensive free educational programme being staged in the CIM 2003 seminar theatres. The programme includes three full days of presentations by members of the ERP Vendors Association – IBM, infor:swan, K3, Lilly Software and McGuffie Brunton – as well as presentations by Microsoft and Oracle. In addition, there will be a special programme of best practice seminars being staged by the Society of British Aerospace Companies. CIM is now in its 18th year of covering all of IT for all of industry. Beyond ERP and core manufacturing business IT, visitors will also be able to see everything from integrated design systems to e-business solutions. For Show information visit www.cimshow.co.uk For free entry to the show, register online at www.cimshow.co.uk. and to receive free tickets, call +44 (0) 870 429 4542.