MAPICS has announced the availability of its Buyer-Supplier Role Portal, a practical Web-based solution that demonstrates real value by enabling manufacturers to create dynamic relationships with their suppliers and optimise each interaction.
The portal provides manufacturers with a simple and effective way to streamline supplier relationship management processes and dramatically reduce direct material costs, which can often comprise as much as 80 percent of their overall costs.
With this tool, manufacturers can give their suppliers real-time access to view and respond to purchase orders and future forecast requirements, increasing visibility into inventory levels and demand.
Successfully in use by Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Europe (MCFE), the portal has already helped this manufacturer make improvements to its inventory level and bottom line.
"The MAPICS portal has enabled us to dramatically streamline many of our business operations and to better collaborate with our entire supply chain,” MCFE information technology manager Robert Vleeschhouwer said.
“Within three weeks of rolling out the Buyer-Supplier Role Portal to three major suppliers, we decreased our inventory 85 percent with those suppliers."
The portal solution, which is offered for complete integration into MAPICS ERP solutions for rapid implementation, can be tailored to each manufacturer's unique business processes.
Suppliers are provided with custom views of summary or detailed purchase orders and can easily accept, reject or request changes to them.
Discussion threads keep track of supplier communications and automatic alerts ensure that both buyer and supplier respond to changing purchase requirements in a timely manner.
The increased communication and visibility into demand can reduce lead-times, improve on-time deliveries and reduce the need to keep excess inventory on hand as a buffer.
Steve Shorten, country manager for MAPICS Australia, believes Australian companies can achieve similar benefits as those experienced by Mitsubishi Catapillar.