October 17, 2022
When seeking to implement a new ERP solution, manufacturers have many options. Evaluating these options is an extensive task during which manufacturing companies must identify the right solution for their business needs and consider the challenges they want to overcome by implementing a new ERP.
Addressing the Unique Challenges of Manufacturers
Unique challenges facing manufacturers include operational productivity, keeping up with the pace of innovation, meeting customer demands, meeting regulatory and compliance standards, and optimizing supply chains. Businesses turn to technology to overcome these challenges and ultimately differentiate themselves from the competition. In fact, a 2021 survey by McKinsey Global found that 51% of companies view innovation of their technology capabilities as a strategic differentiator while 28% view them as a means to keep pace with their respective industry.
Regardless of whether you are seeking to differentiate your manufacturing business from the competition or scale your business to keep up with the fast-paced innovation in the manufacturing industry—or both—Infor CloudSuite Industrial (CSI) ERP helps users accomplish this and has thousands of manufacturing companies globally on cloud nine.
Developed with the Top Reasons for Cloud Adoption in Mind
CloudSuite Industrial is a cloud-based ERP solution that was developed to address the unique challenges inherent to the manufacturing industry and with the top reasons manufacturers seek technology innovation in mind, including:
Innovation
According to Fortune Business Insights, the cloud computing market was valued at $405.65B in 2021, indicating a CAGR of 19.9% during this period. Additionally, research shows that Manufacturing is among the top 3 industries experiencing the most pressure from executive management to become 100% cloud-based. These statistics are a testament to the innovation required by manufacturers to sustain operations and remain competitive in the market.
CSI offers users the innovation they need. Built on the industry-leading AWS platform, CSI leverages AWS’s key technology enablers, such as IoT, analytics, machine learning (ML), augmented reality (AR), and more to optimize operations. As a result, these enablers improve operational sustainability and enable users to glean new insights gathered from the robust business intelligence captured by the CSI solution.
Security & Compliance
To ensure data security and compliance for users, CloudSuite Industrial was developed with the following security features to help reduce costs and provide a bulletproof platform:
Policies & Processes
The CSI platform adheres to ISO 27001 and NIST 800-53 best-practice standards. It also enables users to capture data required for SSAE18 assessments and has the flexibility to support a broad range of global and industry-specific regulatory compliance standards.
Application Security
An emphasis on security was an integral part of the CSI development lifecycle, and it was developed according to the OWASP threat model and associated best practices. Rigorous and frequent vulnerability and penetration testing lend to exceptional application security.
Network Security
CSI offers network security through the separation of duties and layered defense architecture.
Physical Security
Infor’s premier partnership with AWS ensures world-class physical security and facilities.
Operations Security
A least-privilege authorizations model, centralized and secure certificate management and data encryption (at rest and in transit) ensure operations security with CloudSuite Industrial.
Monitoring & Management
Dynamic password management, immutable SEIM collection and analysis, and ITIL-based incident, problem, and change management processes add additional layers of security to CSI.
Performance & Scalability
CSI offers users world-class performance based on centuries of tuning experience and cross-domain expertise. The solution is able to scale with manufacturers growing businesses, offering dynamic resource allocation and an application architecture that supports fine-tuning.
UI & Adoption
Infor’s CloudSuite Industrial offers a user-friendly interface that works on all computers and mobile devices, further extending value and reducing the time to value. Modern, BI-rich applications enable users to access data on-site and remotely: an important feature for today’s mobile and remote workforce. The pre-built connectors, deployment accelerators, and automation contained in the CSI product streamline deployment AND expedite platform adoption and use, saving both time and money for manufacturers.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
In addition to the cost savings due to expedited adoption and streamlined deployment, CSI’s inclusive pricing saves manufacturers money and frees up working capital. Pricing coverage for CSI includes hardware and security and reduces operational costs since performance optimization, monitoring, minor patching, application integrations, and testing are built in to the pricing.
Users also appreciate the increase in staff productivity that CSI provides by eliminating the obsolete tasks associated with less robust solutions, such as server budgeting and planning, long-term capacity planning, installing/upgrading software, and managing hardware failures. Without the need for IT staff to focus on these tasks, CSI frees up IT and dev ops resources to focus on partnership with the business.
Find Your Place in the Cloud
If these reasons for cloud adoption resonate with you and you are seeking a cloud-based ERP solution for your manufacturing operations, Guide Technologies can help your business achieve manufacturing excellence. In addition to being an Infor Gold Channel Partner, we are the trusted partner of nearly 300 businesses in over 20 manufacturing verticals, including aerospace and defense, automotive, electronics, medical device, and many more. We are also the recipient of the Infor Manufacturing Partner of the Year award.
Our team of manufacturing and Infor product experts offer Infor implementation and consulting services that deliver measurable results. In fact, 95% of our projects are delivered on time and on budget. This is a testament to the effectiveness of the proven implementation methodology we adhere to with every client—a methodology that results in accurate scopes of work (SOWs), timelines, milestones, and execution. From implementation and deployment to maintenance and optimization services, Guide can help you find your place in the cloud. Contact us today to learn more.