Epicor Software Corporation, provider of business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, has announced that Zhida Group, the home furniture and accessory manufacturer, has enhanced operational efficiency across multi-sector manufacturing subsidiaries with the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
Established in 1990, Zhida Group consists of three major subsidiaries: Zhida Textile Decoration Co. Ltd, Zhida Steel Tube Manufacturing Co. Ltd, and Zhida Furniture Manufacturing Co. Based in the Guangdong region of China, Zhida Group's global presence extends to retail outlets and distribution in Hong Kong, Singapore, Middle East, and Canada. The group's business streams include upholsteries, textiles, irons, wooden furniture, steel tubes, retail, and hotels.
Zhida Group selected Epicor ERP in 2007 to master its diversified operations and centralize its business units. "Epicor ERP helps to foster communication between different networks and sales outlets, as it provides data including capitals, stocks and reserves, and sales records that we are able to acquire necessary information from at any time," said Lai Choi Hung, general manager, Zhida Group.
Epicor ERP is recognised for its user-friendly, high price-to-performance ratio, and pioneering status in the manufacturing industry. Zhida Group selected Epicor ERP due to the software's global reputation as a leading industry-specific business solution. In addition, Zhida Group required an ERP system with the functionality and framework to assist in production management, process management, and manufacturing execution system (MES).
"Zhida's businesses step across different industry sectors. While home furniture and steel tubes belong to manufacturing, textile belongs to distribution and retail; there is a difference between the two types of manufacturing," said Liu Ke Jin, director, information technology, Zhida Group. "We therefore needed a comprehensive solution to cater to these requirements, so we decided to choose Epicor ERP."
Liu continued, "Let's take the order processing system for example -- the salary calculation is based on service hour in Europe and the U.S., while in China it is based on the number of products produced. Epicor ERP is built upon true service-oriented architecture (SOA), enabling us to fully utilise web services and cross-platform programs. We therefore have a one of a kind warehouse management system. When the order is being processed, we can track records of the handling staff, and in return, the staff can retrieve records of how many orders he or she has completed on a daily or monthly basis."
In comparing year-end records for 2007 and 2010, Zhida has made a great leap forward in efficiency. The group now relies on the master production schedule to process orders. There has been a noticeable decline in warehouse stocks and reserves, higher productivity with shortened production periods, production costs recorded with increased accuracy, and a shortened customer quotation response time. Lai added, "The group's plan is to achieve lean manufacturing, and Epicor ERP is definitely the tool that can help us to accomplish this goal."
"When designing the Epicor ERP solution, we used lean manufacturing as the blueprint to help regulate and modify production processes," said Vincent Tang, regional director, Epicor North Asia. "The Epicor ERP solution is suitable for die-casting, moulding, mechanical design, electronics, and many other types of industries. The solution's strength lies in its scheduling and processing function, where the user can modify their settings when needed. Through estimation and testing, users are able to preview their changes in video-conferencing mode, which allows for a great deal of flexibility."
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