Several lifelines for Manman MRP users?

Concerned manufacturers running on the old ManMan MRP system, currently considering how to deal with HP’s withdrawal of the essential e3000 hardware in 2006, now have several upgrade and migration options. Support for the existing system by current owner SSA GT is not in contention. Cory Eaves, vice president, Solutions Management and Research at SSA GT, makes it clear that the company will continue support “for as long as we have clients running ManMan/HP on maintenance on the HP e3000 platform.” However, for the nearly 2,500 users, when the e3000 becomes obsolete and spares and expertise become scarcer, it’s difficult to deny there’s a serious business issue to face. And although bug fixes and general support are there, development beyond the recent addition of Cognos business intelligence looks increasingly, and understandably, unlikely. SSA GT itself is currently offering three plans. The first involves staying put and keeping support, with the option of a system replacement programme when you’re ready. The second is about porting the existing system onto Unix, but for that to be countenanced, SSA GT has made it clear it needs 150 contract signatures by December 31 this year to start the project – otherwise that deal is off. Further, site-specific mods would be under separate contract. The third is a migration path to one of SSA GT’s more modern offerings on Ubnix, NT or IBM eServer iSeries (AS/400), with the new software at zero cost, the provision of migration tools, but professional services charged for what is likely to be a sizeable project. Meanwhile, US-based The Support Group (tSGi), which also supports ManMa), and SoftBrands Manufacturing (formerly Fourth Shift) have got together to offer another migration path for SME manufacturers – this to the latter’s Fourth shift ERP. Indeed, the duo claims it helped one UK manufacturer to move from ManMan and HP to Fourth Shift ERP in just nine weeks. Terry Floyd, CEO of tSGi, says: “We’ve been assessing the market to develop a sound ‘go-forward’ strategy to support our MANMAN customers… By teaming up with SoftBrands Manufacturing, we are confident of our ability to provide our customers with a well-rounded technology blueprint for the future.”