Archived Press Releases
- October 2000
- Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for Bemis Company, Inc.
- July 2000
- Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for Hoeganaes Corporation
- June 2000
- Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for American Technical Ceramics
- Taylor Manufacturing Systems Appoints Dan Gibson Vice President of TESS Division
- April 2000
- New Factory Scheduling Solution to Facilitate Demand-Driven Production Strategies of Small- and Mid-Sized Manufacturers
- January 2000
- Taylor to Provide Factory Scheduling Solution for PROLEC-GE
- December 1999
- Taylor Announces Partnership Agreement with TAK International
- October 1999
- TESS 5.0 Advanced Factory Scheduling Introduced
- September 1999
- Taylor Partners with BRM Italiana
- August 1999
- Richard E. Morley Joins Taylor Board of Directors
- Integration Concepts Enterprises and Taylor Form Partnership
- July 1999
- Taylor Expands Management Team
- April 1999
- Taylor Partners with Straight Manufacture in Brazil
- March 1999
- AIWA Implements Taylor/SSA Solution
- November 1998
- PowerCerv Software Alliance
- Databars to Distribute TESS in Australia
- New Optimization Algorithms Added to TESS
- October 1998
- Island Paper Tackles Complexities with TESS
- September 1998
- J.D. Edwards Product Alliances Partnership
- April 1998
- Van Leer to Implement TMS/SSA Integrated Solution
- March 1998
- Marketing Efforts Expanded
- February 1998
- CB&I Implements TMS/J.D. Edwards Solution
- October 1997
- Management Buyout
- New Version of TESS
- Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Int'l Choose TESS
Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for Bemis Company, Inc.
TESS® Utilized to improve and automate the scheduling processes, minimize production cost and increase throughput at Bemis Company.
Atlanta-Leading advanced production scheduling software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced today that Bemis Company, Inc. Polyethylene Packaging Division will implement TESS® Advanced Production Scheduling solutions in multiple U.S. locations.
Senior management at Bemis explains, “We have selected TESS® as our advanced production scheduling tool for multiple locations. TESS® meets our diverse needs, and we expect it will provide excellent value, in terms of ROI.”
Plant management for one of the sites selected for implementation says, “TESS® was selected based on business objectives. We expect TESS® to improve and automate our scheduling process, while minimizing production cost and increasing throughput. Our schedulers like the flexibility of the product and look forward to its ease-of-use.”
Dan Gibson, VP TESS® division of Taylor Manufacturing Systems commented, “Based on our experience in the printing and flexible packaging industry, we expect a very smooth and quick rollout. Bemis and TMS are entering this relationship as partners, in the process of improving productivity on the shop floor by enabling personnel to work smarter.”
About Bemis Company, Inc.
Bemis Company, Inc. is a global manufacturer of flexible packaging and pressure sensitive materials with sales approaching $2 billion. The company's leadership position rests on its strong technical foundation in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating and laminating, printing and converting, and pressure sensitive adhesive technology.
Bemis is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and employs over 9,000 people in manufacturing plants and offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Find Bemis at www.bemis.com.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for Hoeganaes Corporation
TESS® Utilized to Streamline Planning Process and Improve On-Time Delivery at Powder Producing Facilities at Gallatin, Tennessee; Riverton, New Jersey; and Milton, Pennsylvania
Atlanta-Leading advanced production scheduling software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced today that Hoeganaes Corporation will schedule the production of ferrous metal powders at its facilities in Tennessee, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through the implementation of a TESS® solution.
“We are looking forward to helping Hoeganaes streamline their production planning process, in part by reducing the time required to plan and re-plan” said Dan Gibson, vice president of Taylor's TESS Division.
According to Gibson, effective solutions represent a combination of process improvement and technology. “Our Professional Services Team is highly focused on a partnership approach that uses Hoeganaes' and Taylor's experience to create a flexible system which produces a more accurate schedule in less time,” he said.
“We need real-time visibility at the shop floor level so that we can compare our schedules with reality while production is underway,” said Herb Shaw, director of information services at Hoeganaes. “This system will help us capture expert knowledge and standardize our procedures while improving our ability to meet our promised delivery dates.”
The Windows®-based TESS advanced production-scheduling solution, which was introduced in 1995, is widely known for its interactive Gantt Chart, What-If? decision support, powerful algorithms, and real-time scheduling capabilities in complex, demand-driven manufacturing environments.
About Hoeganaes Corporation
Hoeganaes is the world's largest producer of ferrous metal powders for use in powder metallurgy (P/M) process for fabricating a wide range of parts for automotive, farm and garden equipment, heavy construction equipment and appliance applications. Founded in 1953, Hoeganaes began operations in Riverton, NJ, with the production of sponge iron powder. Shortly thereafter, premixed products were introduced, followed by stainless steel, high alloy, and diffusion alloyed iron powders. Hoeganaes initiated its first production of atomized steel powder at Riverton in 1969. During the 1970s, atomized steel grades were expanded to include low alloy, high alloy, diffusion alloyed, and phosphorous steel. Powder forging grades were also introduced. A state-of-the-art atomizing plant at Gallatin, Tennessee, began operations in 1980. By the end of the 1980s, the highly automated Milton, Pennsylvania, facility began production of ANCORBOND® products and premixes. For additional information, call 856-829-2220 or visit the company's web site at www.hoeganaes.com.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Production Scheduling Solution for American Technical Ceramics
TESS® Expected to Increase On-Time Delivery, Reduce Setup Time at Capacitor and Thin Film Products Plants in New York and Florida
Atlanta-Software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced today that American Technical Ceramics (ATC) has selected a TESS® solution for scheduling the production of porcelain capacitors and thin film products at its plants in Huntington Station, NY and Jacksonville, FL.
“We are looking forward to helping ATC achieve measurable performance improvements in on-time delivery dates, optimized work center capacity, and reduced setup time,” said Dan Gibson, vice president of Taylor's TESS Division.
According to Gibson, effective solutions represent a combination of process improvement and technology. “Our Professional Services Team is highly focused on a partnership approach that uses ATC's and Taylor's experience to create a flexible system that meets ATC's business objectives,” he said.
“One challenge we expect TESS to meet at our Advanced Technology Center in Jacksonville,” said Judah Wolf, vice president of ATC's Custom Thin Film Products Group, “will be improving efficiency and capacity planning in a 'job shop' production scheduling environment.”
The Windows®-based TESS advanced production scheduling solution, which was introduced in 1995, is widely known for its interactive Gantt Chart, What-If? decision support, powerful algorithms, and real-time scheduling capabilities in complex, demand-driven manufacturing environments.
About American Technical Ceramics
American Technical Ceramics Corp. is a high technology company engaged in the design, development and manufacture of ceramic and porcelain capacitors. Serving the RF/Microwave field for over 30 years, its unique processing technology creates high performance capacitors for critical applications around the world. Since 1964, ATC capacitors have been utilized in a broad range of military and commercial applications. These include missile systems, satellite broadcasting equipment, mobile telephones, medical electronics, and military and commercial aircraft radar and navigation systems. Virtually all U.S. space programs have utilized ATC capacitors in their electronic circuits. American Technical Ceramics makes its headquarters in Huntington Station, New York and has an Advanced Technology Center in Jacksonville, Florida, dedicated to ATC's traditional product line as well as new Thin Film Products and Services. For additional information, contact the corporate headquarters at 631-622-4700 or the Custom Thin Products Group at 904-726-3426.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems Appoints Dan Gibson Vice President of TESS Division
Former SynQuest Executive Combines Sales, Professional Services to Increase IT Solutions Focus on Clients' Business Goals
Atlanta-Production scheduling software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced today the appointment of Dan Gibson as vice president of the TESS® Division in a move which brings implementation services and product sales together into a homogenous business solutions team.
According to President Neil Taylor, “the change in our organization and services delivery recognizes the fact that more and more of our clients need plant scheduling and shop floor feedback solutions that will address their business objectives as well as their on-going IT initiatives.”
Taylor said that heading this team with a seasoned professional services consultant was the obvious solution in meeting the need for a highly focused emphasis on the business goals of the company's customers.
Gibson, who brings 20 years of manufacturing systems experience to the new post, previously served as the director of professional services for SynQuest.
“Our goal is to provide every customer with measurable performance improvements to support their business objectives. TESS is an outstanding value in the production scheduling market and it will remain a key component in our solution; however, effective solutions require a combination of process improvement and technology,” Gibson said.
Widely known for its strong plant-centric focus, Taylor Manufacturing Systems develops and markets the comprehensive TESS® Scheduler, TESS Operator Panel, and TESS Dashboard.
Taylor's management team also includes David Pleak whose role as vice president of operations has been expanded to include responsibility for the company's recently announced HatTrick™ application. Marketed and implemented through value-added MES and ERP partners, HatTrick is a functionally rich, competitively priced factory scheduling solution designed to help small and mid-sized manufacturers manage a high volume of complex orders in a customer-focused marketplace.
“We are in the unique position,” said Taylor, “of being able to offer solutions to small, growing companies as well as to mid-sized and large companies. These solutions bring our customers the efficient, responsive production facilities that are a key component for an e-business or web-enabled enterprise that wants to avoid customer disappointment with late or incomplete orders.”
Taylor Introduces New Factory Scheduling Solution to Facilitate Demand-Driven Production Strategies of Small- and Mid-Sized Manufacturers
HatTrick™ Designed for Growing Plants That Can No Longer Manage Volume, Complexity of Orders With Manual Scheduling Methods
Atlanta-Manufacturing software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., today announced HatTrick™ , an agile factory scheduling solution for growing small- and mid-sized plants that must manage a large number of complex orders in a customer-focused, e-business marketplace.
The Windows® -based system, which will be distributed by Taylor's value-added partners, draws on Taylor's long-time shop floor scheduling and monitoring experience and brings demand-driven production functionality to the marketplace at a competitive price.
“HatTrick increases customer responsiveness by offering more accurate promise dates and shorter lead times,” said David Pleak, Vice President of Operations at Taylor. “Shop floor monitoring and the proactive workflow notification of events help plants re-adjust and re-optimize schedules quickly to keep customers satisfied and operations running at peak efficiency,” he said.
HatTrick features a proven scheduling engine based on all constraints, an interactive Gantt chart, real-time connectivity to ERP and MES systems, user-defined rules and weights, and the depth and functionality for modeling complex environments. The software supports Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 on a Windows NT server.
President Neil Taylor said that the new product release comes at a time when business-to-business e-commerce and other marketplace pressures are forcing small- and mid-sized manufacturers to actively address how to make continuous improvements and achieve the optimized production, order visibility, operational reliability, and overall flexibility that are required for a true, customer driven focus.
“No amount of investment in closer ties with customers and suppliers, lean manufacturing initiatives or e-commerce technologies can be fully effective unless the factory is responsive to the new demands placed on it,” Taylor said.
HatTrick will be available in May through participating ERP and MES partners who will also provide deployment, integration, support and consultation services.
“Our partners' relationship with each customer places them in a unique position to understand the requirements of the enterprise, the supply chain and the plant model,” said Pleak. “This ensures that HatTrick solutions will efficiently address production issues, support manufacturing technology and e-business objectives, and provide measurable cost reductions with a quick return on investment,” he said.
The Atlanta-based Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc. also develops and markets the TESS® Scheduler, TESS Operator Panel, and TESS Dashboard. Taylor is widely known for its strong plant-centric focus and in creating applications which handle complex manufacturing processes, generate optimized schedules based on a company's business objectives, and exchange information with other business systems for a complete real-time production scheduling solution.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems to Provide Factory Scheduling Solution for PROLEC-GE
TESS Expected to Increase Production Capacity at Power Transformers GroupFacilities in Monterrey, Mexico by 40%
January 2000 - Leading advanced factory scheduling software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced today that PROLEC-GE will schedule the production of power and distribution transformers at its manufacturing facilities in Monterrey, Mexico, through the implementation of a TESS ® solution.
PROLEC-GE, a joint venture between AXA and the General Electric Company, selected Taylor's Windows®-based Advanced Factory Scheduling system to improve customer service and increase productivity after an intensive evaluation of 19 software providers.
David Urquiza, information technology manager at the PROLEC-GE Power Transformers Group, said that he was impressed with the TESS implementation at the GE-Harris substation and feeder control systems facility at Calgary, Alberta.
“PROLEC-GE expects the TESS implementation to increase our production capacity by 40%,” Urquiza said. “The estimated reduction in inventory resulting from our use of the system will pay for our investment.”
“We are very happy to be working with another GE joint venture,” said Charles Floto, vice president of sales and marketing at Taylor Manufacturing Systems. “Our implementation at GE-Harris in 1996, helped improve the plant' s capacity utilization and provide realistic order status and promise dates. These are the same kinds of results PROLEC-GE requires from its scheduling solution.”
TESS, which was introduced in 1995, is widely known for its interactive Gantt Chart, What-If? analysis support, powerful algorithms, and real-time scheduling capabilities in complex manufacturing environments.
David Pleak, Vice President of Operations at Taylor, said that while the implementation of TESS at PROLEC-GE will be accomplished within a short time frame, the “go live” date will mark the beginning of a long-term collaborative relationship.
“We have enjoyed supporting the GE-Harris team at Calgary,” said Pleak. “Now, we are looking forward to working with AXA and the PROLEC-GE team, and participating in the Mexican market.”
About PROLEC-GE
PROLEC-GE is a joint-venture between AXA and the General Electric Company started in 1995 to produce distribution and power transformers. With over 2,100 employees in its Monterrey, Mexico, plant, PROLEC-GE is the largest and most modern transformer manufacturer in Latin America, offering the world market a complete line of transformers ranging from 5 to 450,000 kVA, with voltages up to 500 kV and a basic impulse level of 1,500 kV. In this association, AXA contributes with its leadership position in the Mexican market, modern facilities and technology, and an integrated focus on quality. General Electric contributes with its world image and prestige, a broad coverage of the world markets, and complementary experience and technology in the manufacture of these products.
Taylor Announces Partnership Agreement with TAK International for Advanced Factory Scheduling Systems Sales and Support in Taiwan
Taipei Marketing and Distribution Company to Provide Analysis, Configuration, Implementation, Training and Support for TESS
December 1999 - Leading plant scheduling software provider Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., today announced a service partnership agreement with TAK International, Ltd. of Taipei, Taiwan.
TAK will distribute TESS®, Taylor's Windows®-based, multi-user advanced factory scheduling system in Taiwan. The company will also provide implementation, training, and customer support services.
“We are pleased to have TAK International as a partner in this region of the world because they are a company with an exemplary track record in Taiwan,” said Taylor's international manager Robert Macdonald. “With their experience in industrial applications, TAK will not only help bring Taylor products to the marketplace but will also supply a highly qualified level of service to our clients.”
Macdonald said that as the industrial needs and expertise of many companies in Taiwan shift from hard industrial goods to high-end electronics and computer products, TAK's partnership with Taylor will provide the tools manufacturers need to compete on a global scale.
Brian W. Trendelm, President of TAK International said that in the next decade, TAK's services will focus on solutions which help its clients develop the production efficiencies they need to compete in a price competitive market while continuing to meet the requirements of quality standards.
“TAK is fortunate,” he said, “to be associated with Taylor and we look forward to sharing our mutual knowledge with potential customers.”
About TAK International
TAK International, which represents software and durable goods companies in Taiwan and Mainland China, also specializes in applications for manufacturers producing metal powders and other industrial products. The company predicts an unprecedented level of growth in industrial software applications in Taiwan in the next five years.
Taylor Announces TESS 5.0 Advanced Factory Scheduling Solution
Web-Enabled Dashboard, Multi-Database Operator Panel Help Manage the Business within the Four Walls of the Plant
October 1999 - Leading plant scheduling software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announces version 5.0 of TESS®, its Windows®-based Advanced Factory Scheduling solution, to be introduced at APICS '99 International Conference & Expo in New Orleans, October 24-27.
This release, which will help schedulers further streamline and manage their work, includes a web-enabled TESS Dashboard and an Operator Panel with multi-database support.
TESS 5.0 includes the following new features:
- Optimizer. The bottleneck scheduling option provides search methods and optimization algorithms-including simulated annealing and the genetic algorithm-that search for feasible scheduling solutions on selected bottleneck machines or work centers.
- Variable Run Rates. Using order attributes, lookup table entries, operator tab entries in the machines table, shift start equations and run rate equations, TESS calculates variable run rates for machines processing orders for new parts. As the operators become more proficient, machine efficiency increases at an expected rate often called a Learning Curve.
- Customized Task Bar Text. Using a Split Text Editor, schedulers can display data from the fields in one or more tables along with free form text and punctuation beneath the task bars on the Gantt Chart.
- Split/Join. Scheduled operations can be divided into multiple splits to facilitate the use of available capacity, reduce idle time and improve throughput. Some or all of an operation's multiple splits can be joined into one split to reduce setup time and facilitate the management of critical tooling requirements.
- Quick Production Update. When schedulers do not need to track start and end times for setup, run, and cleanup, they can now make quick production updates without filling out the Production Update Transactions data window.
- Independent Import Module. Import is now a separate application, which can be placed on the server.
- Stored Procedures and Triggers. This release makes extensive use of stored procedures and triggers, resulting in improved SQL performance and less network traffic.
- Holding Operation and Relation Link. This function facilitates the scheduling of tank processes in operations in which the tanks are unavailable for other jobs until all the downstream filling operations are complete. The feature allows the duration of an operation (tank holding) to be dependent upon the completion of the downstream operations.
- And… Order attributes, graphical pegs browser, graphical calendar and holidays editor, order sets and operation sets.
The Operator Panel provides a real-time link between the shop floor and a plant's TESS scheduling stations and serves as a collection point for time and attendance data. As machine operators enter production updates, information is sent back to the scheduling stations for immediate display on the Gantt chart, making it possible to adjust and redistribute schedules based on actual shop floor conditions.
The TESS Dashboard displays decision critical information, including the status of orders and parts in production, throughput, and the value of completed orders. The easy-to-understand interface is viewed on a browser with intranet/internet connectivity. Access to the database is accomplished through Java Database Connectivity (JDBC.).
TESS Dashboard also compares the actual performance of the plant against the schedule at two levels (Overall performance, Machine wise performance comparisons). It features factory monitoring services, which include automatic notification of machine breakdowns, display of affected jobs in queue, and order status tracking through a web browser. TESS Dashboard generates reports against the schedule with filtering capabilities.
Taylor Partners with BRM Italiana for Sales and Support in Italy
Torino Manufacturing Consultant and Systems Developer to Provide Analysis, Configuration, Implementation, Training and Support for TESS Advanced Factory Scheduling System
September 1999 - Leading plant scheduling software provider Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., has entered a service partnership agreement with BRM Italiana of Torino, Italy.
BRM Italiana's Qualitech Division will distribute TESS, Taylor's Windows-based, multi-user advanced factory scheduling system in Italy. The company will also provide implementation, training, and customer support services.
According to Robert Macdonald, International Manager for Taylor, BRM Italiana is an experienced manufacturing automation consultant with a strong focus on solutions that coordinate scheduling with real-time shop floor activities.
“With BRM Italiana working for us in Italy our customers there and our marketplace will be much better served than it has been in the past,” Macdonald said. “Our key to success internationally is to partner with local companies like BRM that have an existing presence in the industry with expertise and a solid reputation to carry products like TESS into their marketplace.”
Mario Bodrero, co-founder and president of BRM Italiana said that he believes that “TESS is a very powerful tool” which provides clients within his target market “the best solution for their planning and scheduling.” The company focuses on manufacturers with over 100 employees and annual revenues that exceed $40,000,000.
“We are thrilled to be working with Taylor to provide our customers with the best possible products available on the market,” he said.
In addition to TESS Scheduler sales and support, BRM Italiana will handle Taylor's TESS Operator Panel and web-enabled TESS Dashboard.
About BRM Italiana
Founded in 1986 by Mario and Rosita Bodrero, BRM Italiana srl is a Manufacturer Distributor company that delivers automation solutions and services throughout Italy. The company distributes and supports products which help engineers streamline their design processes and shorten the time-to-market of their products. The company provides innovative, reliable, high-tech solutions and technical support through its CAE/EDA Division and Automation Division product lines.
'Father of Programmable Controller,' Richard E. Morley, to Serve on Board of Directors
Design and Automation Pioneer Brings Industry Experience, Vision to Leadership Role for Atlanta-Based Developer of Factory Scheduling Software
August 1999 - Inventor, consultant, and engineer Richard E. Morley has joined the board of directors of advanced factory scheduling software company Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc.
Morley, who is best known as the father of the programmable logic controller for use on the shop floor, invented the hand-held terminals used by policemen for checking car tags, the controls used for independent zones in heating and air conditioning systems, and was on the team that invented the magnetic thin film used on credit cards and floppy disks.
Taylor President Neil Taylor calls Morley an “industry visionary,” the kind of individual who challenges one's thinking and serves as a catalyst for change.
For Morley, that change includes distributed factories, robust systems, value pricing, and increased development of predictive sensing, monitoring, and scheduling.
“The people at Taylor impressed me with minds agile enough and experience applicable enough to significantly address the scheduling problem in the market place,” said Morley.
“We can, in our business and with the ideas presented by Taylor and its people, substantially improve our implementation of the future vision through adaptive and progressive scheduling technology,” he said. “I am sincerely glad to be aboard for this exciting ride into the future.”
However, Morley has mixed emotions about being described as a visionary. He calls it an exaggeration, for--as he says--everyone plans for mortgages, children, credit purchases and other long term goals.
“Vision is the ability to plan into the future. We seem to be visionaries in our personal lives, but not in our corporate lives. 'Visionaries,' just apply the same principles to technology,” said Morley.
“As Taylor Manufacturing Systems charts the future course of its TESS scheduling solutions, we feel that Dick Morley will provide strong, high-level support for our recently expanded management team,” said Taylor. “We are very pleased he has accepted the post on our board.”
Morley, who is president of R. Morley, Inc., a New Hampshire based consulting firm specializing in application technologies, joins Neil Taylor, President, William Arnold, CFO, and Richard Barno on Taylor Manufacturing System's board of directors.
Integration Concepts Enterprises and Taylor Form Partnership
Consultant, Systems Integrator to Supply MES Connectivity and Implementation Services for TESS to Provide Immediate Shop Floor Answers
August 1999 - Leading manufacturing software developer Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., has formed a service partnership agreement with Integration Concepts Enterprises, Inc. (ICE) to provide implementation support for Taylor's Windows-based Advanced Factory Scheduling solutions.
In addition to TESS Scheduler, TESS Dashboard, and TESS Operator Panel implementations, the Atlanta-based consulting and systems integration firm will provide full Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) capabilities as well as device controllers, programmable logic controllers, and other shop floor systems.
Integration Concepts Enterprises principal Alvin Quarles said that co-ordinating the expertise of both ICE and Taylor will provide “immediate answers” for the shop floor.
“When we combine our MES system with the scheduling capability of TESS and interface that to the rest of the IT infrastructure, a plant manager or supervisor has what is needed to run the plant,” said Quarles.
According to Taylor sales and marketing vice president Charles Floto, the agreement with ICE complements Taylor's traditional focus on the plant.
“Taylor has always stressed the importance of shop floor connectivity and the value of real-time production updates to the scheduler,” said Floto. “We are very pleased to be working with ICE in developing and implementing the integrated factory scheduling and MES functionality that will help plant managers reduce operating costs and increase throughput.”
The Windows-based TESS, which was introduced in 1995, is widely known for its interactive Gantt chart; What-If? analysis support; ability to handle business objectives, scheduling rules, and constraints; powerful algorithms; and its real-time scheduling capabilities in complex manufacturing environments.
About Integration Concepts Enterprises, Inc.
Integration Concepts Enterprises, Inc. (ICE) is a project based consulting and systems integration firm that specializes in manufacturing execution systems (MES). ICE takes a business based approach to its clients' manufacturing needs and consults directly with their management teams to determine the information required to dramatically improve manufacturing productivity. The company's client list includes many of the country's top companies. ICE has implemented manufacturing monitoring and control systems in a variety of manufacturing industries and integrated them with legacy systems of almost every kind.
Taylor Expands Management Team
Team Guided by Company Founder Neil Taylor and Enhanced by Appointment of Charles Floto as Vice President of Sales and Marketing
July 1999 - Leading advanced factory scheduling software provider Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., announced the expansion of its management team, reinforcing the Company's goals of extending its consulting services and accelerating the evolution of its Windows-based TESS solutions for complex manufacturing environments.
Chairman and CEO Neil Taylor said that the team offers a high-level of expertise which will be tightly focused on further enhancing the design of the software products, supporting collaborative partner programs, offering a more comprehensive mix of consulting services, and overseeing implementation of planned additions to the company's customer support and applications engineering services.
“We remain committed to the goal of providing the solid manufacturing solutions and service that will make every customer a reference,” Taylor said.
Charles Floto joins the company in the newly created post of Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Floto has 24 years of experience as a senior sales and management executive in the computer, communications and software industries, including service at IBM, Telxon, Wang and Hayes Microcomputer.
“I asked Charlie Floto to join our management team because he has a history of specific success in the creation and penetration of new channels, direct sales management to corporate decision makers and executive level business experience,” said Taylor.
Floto believes that the company brings to the marketplace the best-designed factory scheduling application in today's market and the commitment and resources to make it an integral part of a long-term solution for every customer.
“In sales,” he said, “we must remain focused on our primary message: TESS means accurate promise dates, high order visibility, reduced operating costs, efficient capacity utilization, and last, but definitely not least, the real-time connectivity to ERP, MES and other plant software systems that management needs in order to effectively compete on a global scale.”
The company's management team includes David Pleak as manager of Development and Operations, David Weger as manager of Applications Engineering, and William Arnold as Chief Financial Officer. Pleak started at the company in 1996 and most recently served as head of customer service. Weger, who came to Taylor Manufacturing Systems in 1997, previously served as an application engineer. Arnold continues on the board of directors as secretary/treasurer, a position he has held since 1997. A CPA and Chartered Accountant, he has over 20 years experience in management consulting, including executing business strategy and marketing plans.
Ursula Hess, who served as president of Taylor Manufacturing Systems since 1997, left the company to pursue other opportunities. “As one of the pioneers in the field, she was of great assistance in the early development of TESS,” said Taylor.
Taylor Partners with Straight Manufacture in Brazil
Sao Paulo Consultant and Systems Developer to Provide Analysis, Configuration, Implementation, Training and Support for TESS
April 1999 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc, announced a service partnership agreement with Straight Manufacture of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The consulting company will provide implementation, training, and customer support services for TESS, Taylor's Windows-based, multi-user APS system.
“The service partnership agreement with Straight Manufacture Consultoria Gerencial gives us a working relationship with a company that is interested in leading the way in Brazil,” said Robert Macdonald, international sales manager at Taylor.
“We are confident,” he said, “that Straight Manufacture will provide the highest quality of service for Taylor as well as for Straight customers who choose to implement a TESS solution at their manufacturing facilities.”
Bruno Ferreira, managing partner of Straight Manufacture, believes that APS systems will be the next wave of plant management solutions to find ready acceptance in an expanding Brazilian software marketplace.
According to Ferreira, “TESS is a valuable solution that deserves to be considered in the software selection processes which we will be managing in the future. We have already done some of the first APS implementations in Brazil.”
AIWA Implements Integrated TESS/BPCS Production Planning/Scheduling Solution
March 1999 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc. announced that its advanced planning and scheduling (APS) system has been implemented at an AIWA facility in Japan to increase manufacturing performance levels and facilitate short-term production forecasting.
Taylor's Windows-based TESS will be integrated with SSA's BPCS® Client/Server V6 at AIWA consumer electronics manufacturing facilities throughout the world.
According to AIWA, the company selected TESS due to its ability to create accurate production schedules based on standardized rules, maintain consistency between production lines, and respond promptly to shop floor delays with revised production schedules.
AIWA is taking advantage of Dynamic Runtime, a new feature in the current release of TESS, to recalculate the scheduled run rates of machines as operators become accustomed to producing new products and components.
According to Taylor Manufacturing Systems applications manager, David Weger, TESS extends the capabilities of the BPCS Client/Server V6 into the arena of short term planning and shop floor scheduling and execution.
“TESS is very well suited for the electronics industry and together with BPCS we are offering a very strong solution for the Asian market,” he said. “An existing TESS option provides for an easy translation of the application in many languages, including Japanese.”
PowerCerv Software Alliance
Mid-Size Manufacturers Benefit with Improved Customer Service and Capacity Utilization
November 1998 - PowerCerv Technologies (Nasdaq: PCRV), a key provider of integrated front-office and back-office software, and Taylor Manufacturing Systems, a leading developer of advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software, announced an alliance for marketing a middle market production management system.
The enterprise-wide solution, which combines the strengths of the PowerCerv ERP PlusTM suite of client/server business applications and TESS, Taylor's integrated decision support APS application, will optimize customer service and capacity utilization while maximizing profit potential.
PowerCerv will market TESS as an optional integrated component within its ERP Plus software suite for discrete manufacturers. ERP Plus and TESS share an industry-standard technology platform, PowerBuilder®, which helps facilitate the products' integration and will accelerate the learning curve for PowerCerv customers who wish to add an APS module to their existing ERP solution.
Scott Galloway, vice president of ERP Solutions at PowerCerv said, “our alliance with Taylor delivers just what the mid-size manufacturer seeks. Our ERP Plus solution, which includes integrated sales force automation and customer support, is now complemented by Taylor's advanced planning and scheduling software. Our respective products are integrated under one common technology platform which makes for easier implementations, reduces training and maintenance costs, and reduces total cost of ownership. Our combined solution is a great value to our mutual customers, who demand high-end functionality that can be implemented with limited IT resources.”
“Integration between TESS and ERP Plus delivers a uniquely powerful customer-centric solution,” said Ursula Hess, president of Taylor Manufacturing Systems. “TESS' advanced planning and scheduling capabilities are proven to increase customer service levels, while optimizing capacity utilization. Our product combined with the PowerCerv ERP Plus front-office and back-office software gives our mutual customers the ability to further enhance their customer relationships by setting and meeting expectations regarding pricing, availability, delivery and all customer service issues.”
“The needs of mid-size manufacturers are just as sophisticated as larger companies. The difference is that they have fewer capital and IT resources,” said Michael J. Simmons, president and chief operating officer at PowerCerv. “Our alliance with Taylor Manufacturing Systems is a home run because it is an integrated ERP and APS solution with high-end functionality that addresses the needs of the middle market.”
Databars to Distribute TESS in Australia
Melbourne Company's Proven Track Record in Manufacturing Environments Important to Taylor's Success in Australia
November 1998 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc. announced that Databars of Australia has been selected as a value-added distributor for Taylor's Windows-based Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) solutions.
The Melbourne-based systems developer will provide installation, training, and integration services for TESS, Taylor's leading, real-time APS application for integrated plant solutions.
“Databars is a company with extensive experience and years of history working with data collection, software integration and manufacturing,” said Robert Macdonald, Taylor's Business Development Manager. “They are important to our success in Australia.”
Max Loxton, Project Manager at Databars believes that without a scheduling system, management is likely to view a manufacturing plant as a “black hole” where process knowledge, production status, and performance, efficiency information reside with a few key staff members rather than being visible to the entire organization.
“There is now a growing awareness that in many cases there is a need to supplement MRP/ERP systems with systems that focus specifically on production control and process improvement,” he said.
In addition to TESS, Databars will also provide implementation and integration services for the new Planning Station, Available to Promise Station, Factory DashboardTM, and Operations Manager Station modules which Taylor demonstrated at the APICS '98 International Conference and Exposition held in Nashville, Tennessee, November 1-4.
Taylor president Ursula Hess said that the new modules provide TESS users with an “integrated plant solution for decision support” that supplies management with a real-time picture of shop floor activities while linking the production with the requirements of the supply chain.
“With the Taylor relationship, Databars is now better placed than ever to assist manufacturers with world class production control systems,” said Loxton.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems Demonstrates New Optimization Algorithms
Optimizer Compliments Introduction of Four TESS Component Modules
November 1998 - “The optimization technology we added to our advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software offers our customers the functionality they need to resolve complex scheduling demands with conflicting business objectives,” said Ursula Hess, president of Taylor Manufacturing Systems.
The new TESS optimizer compliments four other new modules that the Atlanta-based Taylor introduced at the APICS '98 Conference and Exposition in early November
Hess is pleased with the initial response to the optimizer. “Extensive beta testing at the manufacturing facilities of existing clients has shown excellent results,” she said.
The optimizer finds solutions based on client-specified parameters and production objectives with a set of basic and advanced search methods that include simulated annealing and a genetic algorithm.
According to Hess, the power of these algorithms comes from the fact that they can be targeted for a specific environment and can be configured to run as long as appropriate for the right level of improvement.
The optimizer, which includes a real-time graph showing the progress made after each pass through the schedule, can optimize multiple bottlenecks concurrently. It supplements TESS' powerful rules definition, business constraint management and heuristic algorithms.
Project Leader Satya Vrid said that since TESS suggests the bottleneck conditions to improve, the optimizer can work within a discrete neighborhood of possibilities and propose feasible solutions quickly.
In addition to the optimizer, Taylor also demonstrated four new component TESS modules: a Planning Station, an Available to Promise Station, the Factory Dashboard, and an Operations Manager Station.
Hess said that the new modules provide TESS users with an “integrated plant solution for decision support” that supplies management with a real-time picture of shop floor activities while linking the production with the requirements of the supply chain.
Island Paper Tackles Planning, Scheduling Complexities with TESS
Benefits Follow 'Virtually Effortless' Implementation
October 1998 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems' advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software solution has been implemented by Island Paper to reduce work in process inventories and to facilitate order tracking by the customer service department.
Taylor's Windows-based TESS has been integrated with System Software Associates' (SSA) BPCS Client/Server at the E. B. Eddy Forest Products' Island Paper Mills division at Delta, British Columbia. TESS extends the capabilities of the SSA product suite into the arena of short term planning and shop floor scheduling and execution.
According to Inventory Manager Paula Drummond, the complexities of scheduling orders for the mill's 165,000 tons of coated, uncoated, recycled, and specialty papers annually was becoming “overwhelming.”
“We expect that TESS will improve the accuracy of product availability information to customers,” she said. “Our main thrust, however, is to improve the flow through each of our machines. We believe we will ultimately reduce our volume of work in progress as our schedulers' expertise in using TESS grows.”
Taylor Customer Service Manager David Pleak said that TESS will also help Island Paper reduce its costs by simultaneously improving capacity management and material allocation.
According to Bob Wood, Information Technology Project Manager for E.B. Eddy, the integration of TESS and BPCS was virtually effortless.
“We have been pleased with the performance of TESS, not only from a processing speed perspective, but also from the standpoint of reliability, which has been excellent,” he said.
During the implementation period, Taylor created a custom reporting application that extracts data from TESS and BPCS and presents it in an easy-to-use format for production managers.
“This shows Taylor's commitment to be more than a software vendor,” said Pleak. “It demonstrates our role as a solutions provider to our customers.”
SSA's BPCS Client/Server product suite integrates all mission-critical business processes across the enterprise, from multi-mode manufacturing processes to management of the total supply chain.
J. D. Edwards Product Alliances Partnership
September 1998 - Leading enterprise software provider J. D. Edwards® (NASDAQ: JDEC) and Taylor Manufacturing Systems today announce a Product Alliances partnership to extend the production planning, scheduling and execution capabilities of J. D. Edwards' WorldSoftware® enterprise software.
Taylor Manufacturing Systems develops and markets TESS, a leading multi-user, plant-centric advanced planning and scheduling (APS) system. The integrated Taylor/J. D. Edwards solution will further reduce production lead time, increase capacity utilization, and improve customer service levels.
“With a team of developers trained in some of the leading institutions in Europe and the US, we believe we have developed the most powerful and the easiest-to-use APS system available in the market today,” said Taylor's Business Development Manager, Robert Macdonald.
“With TESS linked to WorldSoftware, Taylor Manufacturing Systems and J. D. Edwards offer the user a proven world-class solution that includes real-time monitoring of shop floor activity,” he said.
The seamless interchange of data between the Windows-based TESS and WorldSoftware via a standard software interface provides customers with the cost-saving benefits of real-time execution without the necessity of writing a custom program to connect both systems.
Chicago Bridge & Iron was one of the first manufacturers to utilize the interface between TESS and J. D. Edwards' enterprise resource planning system. The producer of above-ground storage tanks began generating viable schedules at its Houston facility in February after an ambitious 12-week implementation program.
“The Taylor-J. D. Edwards solution established priorities for orders so that our plant floor works on the most important jobs first,” said CB&I Component Supply Team Leader Danny Payne. “As soon as the applications began talking to each other, the project managers immediately began to see which orders were going to be late. We now create much better schedules that everyone can use.”
“We are both proud and excited to have Taylor Manufacturing Systems in our family of Product Alliances Partners,” said Jim Godsey, J. D. Edwards Product Alliances Manager. “The proven functionality of Taylor's products as well as the interface to J. D. Edwards WorldSoftware modules allows customers to further extend the management of their manufacturing operations utilizing the J.D. Edwards' SCOREx solution. Taylor worked closely with members of our client services team to create the interface to WorldSoftware and it shows with the positive results seen at Chicago Bridge & Iron.”
Van Leer Worldwide to Implement TMS/SSA Integrated Production Management, Planning and Scheduling Solution
April 1998 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems (TMS) announced today that its advanced planning and scheduling software has been selected by Van Leer Packaging Worldwide as a major component of a new, globally standardized production management solution.
The Windows based Taylor Execution Scheduling System (TESS) will be integrated with SSA's BPCS Client/Server V6 at Van Leer's Chinet facilities in the United States and at other sites throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. According to TMS President Ursula Hess the Van Leer Group's initial commitment to TMS includes a significant number of sites throughout the world. “Taylor's planning and real-time scheduling solution extends the capabilities of the BPCS Client/Server V6 into shop floor execution.
This provides Van Leer with better control over production plans, resource availability and customer service levels,” she said. At the Chinet Company Food Service Division, a Van Leer subsidiary in Waterville, Maine, the implementation is expected to maximize plant capacity, reduce setup time, and coordinate the production of dies at the machine shop with customer demand for disposable tableware and frozen food packaging products. Previously, the creation of a production schedule itself was time consuming due to the complex product mix.
Van Leer industrial and consumer packaging plants will also interface TESS with Process Window' to provide direct production monitoring and feedback. Process Window, which has been implemented at Van Leer Flexibles in Essen, Belgium, is a man machine interface (MMI) developed by the Taylor Industrial Software subsidiary of Total Control Products.
TESS, which combines the objectives of planning, the complexities of scheduling, and the realities of execution into one powerful application, is widely known for its real-time scheduling capabilities in complex manufacturing environments. It was introduced in 1995, and has been installed at over 100 sites. SSA's BPCS Client/Server product suite integrates all mission-critical business processes across the enterprise, from multi-mode manufacturing processes to management of the total supply chain.
Van Leer Packaging Worldwide is one of the world's leading packaging companies, with strong international positions in consumer and industrial packaging markets. Van Leer produces packaging products in 47 countries.
Marketing Efforts Expanded
March 1998 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems (TMS) has expanded its world wide marketing program with the appointment of a new marketing director. Tammy L. Laughter, former vice president of operations for Lionheart Publishing Company of Atlanta, joined TMS to develop a wide range of marketing objectives in support of the Taylor Execution Scheduling System (TESS) software and the company's customer training and development services.
According to President Ursula Hess, TMS needs to significantly increase its marketing investment to reach manufacturing companies who must combine the objectives of planning, the complexities of scheduling, and the realities of execution to effectively manage their production. “Laughter,” she said, “brings to this challenge an understanding of our target market and many years of related experience including her work with 'APICS-The Performance Advantage,' the professional publication produced by Lionheart for APICS--The Educational Society for Resource Management.”
TESS, which was introduced in 1995, has been installed at over 100 sites, including implementations that interface with System Software Associates BPCS Client/Server and J.D. Edwards enterprise resource planning system. “We already have a powerful application, favorable reviews from analysts, acceptance by business partners, and a strong customer base,” said Hess. “Now we need to let everyone else know about it.”
Chicago Bridge & Iron First to Implement TMS/J.D. Edwards Resources Management and Scheduling Solution
February 1998 - Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI) is the first manufacturer to implement a new interface between the Taylor Execution Scheduling System (TESS) and J. D. Edwards' enterprise resource planning system. “The TESS-J.D. Edwards solution established priorities for orders so that our plant floor works on the most important jobs first,” said Component Supply Team Leader Danny Payne at CBI's Houston facility.
CBI's ambitious implementation schedule allowed the producer of above-ground storage facilities to generate viable schedules from the multi-user, Windows-based TESS application within 12 weeks. “As soon as TESS and JDE started talking to each other, the project managers immediately began to see which orders were going to be late,” said Payne. “We now create much better schedules that everyone can use.” J. D. Edwards & Company, of Denver, Colorado, developed the TESS interface in response to clients who asked for a link to TMS's graphical planning and scheduling software. Programming work was done at the J.D. Edwards World Solutions office at Houston. The installation of TESS and the J. D. Edwards interface at CBI focused on the efficient scheduling of plant capacity so that the customer service department could promise customers realistic delivery dates.
TESS, which is widely known for its real-time scheduling capabilities in complex manufacturing environments combined with an intuitive user interface and interactive Gantt Chart, was introduced in 1995, and has been installed at over 100 sites. TESS offers a balanced solution to such manufacturing objectives as increased throughput, reduced lead time and setup time, reduced inventory, reduced overall production costs, and improved customer service.
Chicago Bridge & Iron is a global engineering and construction company specializing in the engineering and design, fabrication, erection and repair of petroleum terminals, steel tanks, refinery pressure vessels, low temperature and cryogenic storage facilities and other steel plate structures and their associated systems. J.D. Edwards ERP solution is a network centric, multinational system that provides distributed object architecture and advanced business rules.
Management Buyout
October 1997 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems (TMS) has experienced a buyout by a group led by Neil R. Taylor, Vice President of Total Control Products and founder of Taylor Industrial Software. Ursula Hess, former strategic business unit manager for the TESS product was announced as the new president.
The new entity, Taylor Manufacturing Systems, Inc., will be located in Atlanta, GA., and will market, distribute and support the Taylor Execution Scheduling Systems (TESS) software, which is a leading Windows-based planning and scheduling software solution.
TESS provides shop floor scheduling and planning for medium- and large-sized manufacturing companies in the discrete, repetitive and batch process industries. “TESS is becoming recognized as a premiere solution that is gaining market share in the rapidly growing advanced planning and scheduling market,” said Neil R. Taylor, principal investor in the new TMS business. “Over the next several weeks, we will announce a number of alliances and relationships that will allow us to take full advantage of this award-winning product.”
TMS was acquired by TCP in 1996 as a part of its acquisition of Taylor Industrial Software. According to TCP President and CEO, Nicholas T. Gihl, “TESS is a fine product in a growing market segment, but it simply did not fit within the strategic direction of Total Control Products.”
Introduced in May, 1995, TESS has been installed in more than 100 sites, including Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Van Leer Corporation and Menasha. TESS provides real-time data transfer functionality which links to the shop floor with higher level business planning systems. TMS will continue to work closely with Taylor Industrial Software (TIS), promoting the TIS supervisory control product which links TESS directly to shop floor equipment and processes. TESS will continue to be sold directly, and via qualified channel partners.
New Version of TESS
October 1997 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems (TMS) has introduced a new release of its advanced planning and scheduling multi-user application for Windows. Version 4.1 of the Taylor Execution Scheduling System (TESS) features multi-plant functionality, an automated bill of materials, provisions for preventive maintenance and cleanup, and a Windows 95 user interface.
Ursula Hess, President of the Atlanta-based software company, said that the new Plant Areas feature allows schedulers to take either a global view of multiple facilities or to maximize the use of capacity with a single plant. The Bill of Materials module automatically explodes out into all of the orders for each part and sub-part required for the final end product.
“TESS' new cleanup function is especially important for our pharmaceutical and food processing clients,” Hess said, “while many of our customers in all industries were looking for an automatic scheduling of preventive maintenance.” Cleanup time can be based on the conditions of the machine or on the product being produced. To meet the varying needs of preventive maintenance programs, TESS dynamically schedules campaign setup blocks based on user-defined parameters.
TESS , which is widely known for its real-time scheduling capabilities in complex manufacturing environments combined with an intuitive user interface and interactive Gantt Chart, was introduced to the market in 1995, and has been installed in over 100 sites.
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals International Chooses TESS
October 1997 - Taylor Manufacturing Systems (TMS) and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals International have entered into an agreement for a global rollout of TESS, the Taylor Execution Scheduling System.
The scheduling and execution capabilities of TESS will improve plant schedule generation, increase throughput, and reduce inventory carrying costs, as has already been proven in several sites throughout the U.S. and Europe. “We reviewed several different packages from the U.S., Europe and Japan for the areas of scheduling logic, technical architecture and usability,” said Adam Clark, Project Manager MIS, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals International.
“We found TESS to be the best package suited for pharmaceutical and process scheduling, and we are in the process of implementing it in our strategic manufacturing facilities throughout the world. We think TESS is critical not only for providing the best possible customer service amid the complexities of global supply but also to ensure we optimize our return on assets (resource utilization).”
Adam Clark Project Manager MIS Pfizer Pharmaceuticals International