Oracle expands Supply Chain suite with PeopleSoft Strategic Network Optimisation and PeopleSoft Production Scheduling

Oracle today announces it has enhanced Oracle Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) by integrating Strategic Network Optimisation and Production Scheduling from the PeopleSoft Supply Chain Planning suite. The new offering combines the benefits of both the PeopleSoft and Oracle applications giving customers greater insight across their extended supply chains, optimised use of supply chain and production resources and the ability to mitigate risk.

The addition of PeopleSoft Strategic Network Optimisation and PeopleSoft Production Scheduling to Oracle APS creates a comprehensive supply chain offering by expanding its capability to model process, discrete and flow manufacturing environments. With these applications, distribution-intensive industries, such as food and beverage, chemicals and consumer durables can also improve the design of their supply chain networks.

Oracle APS integrated with PeopleSoft Strategic Network Optimisation helps companies model the extended supply chain, including variables such as manufacturing, distribution and logistics costs and constraints, and develop long-range plans. This helps customers design their supply chain networks and make capital asset management decisions as well as evaluate the impact of strategic business initiatives like outsourcing and mergers and acquisitions. Customers can model the risk of unanticipated or proposed changes in the supply chain by creating "what-if" scenarios, such as the effects of closing a distribution center or sourcing raw materials from outsourcing providers. Pre-emptive measures can be created to address problems that may arise in a global supply chain, and mangers can evaluate the effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of proposed solutions.

Oracle APS integrated with PeopleSoft Production Scheduling creates a detailed, down-to-the-second manufacturing shop floor schedule and sequence. The data model provides the flexibility for customers to accurately represent how a manufacturing plant works, including machines, tools, crews, materials handling and other resource constraints. The scheduling engine automatically identifies and resolves floating bottleneck problems to help maximise shop-floor efficiency and throughput while minimising cost.

"PeopleSoft Production Scheduling gives us a detailed view of the shop floor so we have insight into the manufacturing stages of everything from cylinder heads to valve seats," said Senior Operations Manager at Toyota Racing Development Greg Ozmai. "Visibility into work in progress and machine status helps us operate more efficiently, decrease production cycle time and create quality Indy and NASCAR engine components under tight deadlines."

Oracle continues to leverage its investment in PeopleSoft products to extend its lead in the supply chain market. The announced integration builds on more than 20 years of supply chain planning development experience from both companies, and unifies Oracle's planning offering to provide more value to customers. Oracle provides and continues to develop a complete line of supply chain planning applications for Oracle, PeopleSoft and JD Edwards supply chain users.

"Supply chain technology vendors understand that supply chain risk management is a growing concern for companies investing in enterprise software applications," said Supply Chain Management Services Director at Manufacturing Insights Bob Ferrari. "With this announcement, Oracle is responding to the needs of manufacturing companies to mitigate their inherent supply chain risks by incorporating stages of supply chain economics decision making into the Oracle APS suite."

Oracle Advanced Planning and Scheduling and PeopleSoft Strategic Network Optimisation and PeopleSoft Production Scheduling are available today as stand-alone products, and Oracle plans to integrate the products in 2006.