Rockwell Automation, Inc. has announced that Somic America, Inc., a leading Tier 1 automotive supplier specializing in manufacturing ball joints and steering components, has chosen Plex, by Rockwell Automation as its new enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) provider. Somic's goal with this initiative is to create a foundation for growth, increase efficiency and decrease nonvalue-added activities across its manufacturing processes.
Early in the process, Somic tapped outside consulting to assess several key initiatives. This exercise led to a strong recommendation to replace and modernize their existing, disconnected and antiquated systems. Somic dug deep into its processes and detailed the many areas of improvement which are possible with modern, integrated ERP and MES platforms. Three major pillars came to light in the process. First, disconnected systems produced disconnected data, which was difficult to collect and analyze. Secondly, technology for production control was not optimized. And finally, an actionable, fully integrated quality management solution was missing.
After discovering that its data was not trustworthy, Somic went even deeper to realize that data aggregation was both burdensome and labor intensive. This led to inefficient planning and scheduling, and a lack of visibility to work-in-progress inventory. These factors, among others, gave way to selecting Plex, by Rockwell Automation, to realize benefits across multiple workstreams: order to cash, procure to pay, production scheduling, asset management & maintenance, automated data collection, quality management, inbound and outbound electronic data interchange (EDI) and accurate deliveries to customers.
With its established presence in the automotive supply chain, and its ability to offer application solutions in the cloud, Plex is providing Somic with a connected plant floor, digital production tracking and real-time dashboards which will support Somic's initiatives for growth and efficiency.
"The choice to select Plex, by Rockwell Automation came at the perfect time in our modernization journey," said Frank Alley, Vice President, Finance & Administration, Somic America, Inc. "We are so pleased that we decided to audit and understand our existing systems first. This gave us the best information on what we need for our future state. Then, the real drivers for selection are the anticipated benefits of utilizing Plex's end-to-end ERP and manufacturing solutions, across a single, connected database and a common user experience for our associates. We are looking forward to partnering with Plex, as we embark on our digital transformation journey."
"From the Plex side, my team was given unfettered access across several functional departments at Somic to delve deep into current processes and future needs," said Jim Webster, Account Manager, Plex, by Rockwell Automation. "When we spoke with Somic and found out where we could move the needle, the benefits of our smart manufacturing suite took center stage as we demonstrated a strong case for change through efficiency gains and access to real-time information."
For more information contact:
Somic America Inc.
6 Baker Blvd.
Brewer, ME 04412
207-989-1759
info@somicamerica.com
www.somicamerica.com
Plex, by Rockwell Automation
900 Tower Dr., Ste. 1500
Troy, MI 48098
855-534-8012
www.plex.com