Yamato scale dataweigh are the newest company to join emerge. Based in Leeds they are the UK arm of the global weighing machine corporation begun in Japan in 1922. Yamato is the leading manufacturer in the domain of multihead weighing machines and have been at the cutting edge of weighing technology for more than 80 years with a large diversity of products made to match the diversity of their customers needs.
David Butler, Engineering manager at Yamato explained the reason for seeking out a new system; “Before we were using three or four separate software solutions that just didn’t talk to one another. Errors would be compounded by being repeated throughout the system. When we were first presented with Priority it was immediately clear that it could increase our efficiency ten fold and therefore increase our profits.”
As to why Yamato selected Priority over the many other systems that they looked at, David says that choice was simple; “Priority had the advanced functionality that we were looking for combined with the user friendly aspect that makes Priority so appealing. We were also inspired by the importance that everyone we met at eMerge place on an ongoing service partnership. We were convinced that we meant much more to them than just a sale.”
And that may not be the end of eMerge’s involvement with Yamato. The company currently has subsidiaries throughout Asia with an office in India opening in 2008, as well as Russia and the USA. Yamato’s European operations are based in Germany and Yamato have plans to show Priority throughout Europe.
According to ERP and business consultant Eric Kimberling, the current economic downturn is the perfect time to re-evaluate current software systems and implement an ERP. Many have predicted a slump in IT spending for the next year, but Eric cites research carried out by the Panorama consulting Group that suggests a majority of organizations (as much as 53%) plan to overhaul their current enterprise systems in 2009.
Below are the reasons he gives for why this is an ideal time to implement an ERP:
• Reduce total cost of ownership. “ERP software vendors are pricing their offerings more aggressively than usual. This presents a unique opportunity for companies to procure software at a lower cost than possible during a more robust economic cycle.”.
• Increase revenues. “Many companies are facing flat or declining sales during this economic downturn. ERP functionality such as CRM and sales force automation can help companies sell more effectively to better confront these economic headwinds.”
• Increase productivity. “Many companies are laying off large numbers of employees and/or are on a hiring freeze. ERP enables companies to get more work done with less people, allowing them to maintain payroll costs both now and when the economy recovers.”
• Improve business process efficiency. “ERP provides companies with a unique opportunity to automate manual business processes and eliminate non-value-add activities. In addition, ERP allows companies to more efficiently match customer demand to inventory, resulting in reduced inventory and carrying costs.”
• Scale for growth and economic recovery. “Smart companies are implementing ERP now to better position themselves for business growth and scalability when the economy does recover.”
• Leverage available resources. “Although there is never a good time to implement ERP, a downturn is as good a time as any. There are often more internal and external resources available to help implement ERP effectively, which isn't always the case when the economy is booming and companies are busting at the seams.”
• Prepare for mergers and acquisitions. “Given the high levels of consolidation that often take place during economic slowdowns, many companies find that ERP software will help them standardize their business and prepare for either acquiring other companies or being acquired.”
• Force management to focus on benefits realization. “It's unfortunate, but ERP implementations are not always required to demonstrate measurable results when economic times are good. ERP implementations are now required more than ever to deliver results. Of course, we argue that this should be true in both good times and bad.”
June 12th, 2009
Experts give Priority the thumbs-up
Ray Wang from ‘A Software insiders point of view’ has reviewed the latest release of Priority software and given it a resounding endorsement. Ray regularly assesses the viability of the leading ERP vendors and showcases the latest and greatest in enterprise apps usability. In investigating Priority he has identified seven leading ways in which this software delivers actionable insight from the very beginning:
1. Richer user experiences - users gain a cockpit like access to key information and navigation. Innovative layout can be personalized with configuration and takes advantage of the latest Microsoft .NET capabilities.
2. Business process orientation - embedded in the core product, Eshbel includes a rich business process modeling tool that gives end users the capability to modify workflows without expensive customizations.
3. Configurable change - most personalizations and modifications can be configured without expensive programming.
4. Actionable insight - Reports generated via drag and drop without intricate coding knowledge. User dashboards provide key visualization paradigms.
5. Collaboration - leveraging WPF, Priority improves its synchronization with Office apps and most importantly outlook.
6. Intelligent response - easy to configure rich BPM modeler enables end users to set triggers and thresholds for key workflows and processes.
7. Hybrid deployment - users will find support for multiple deployment options such as on-premise, on-premise and web enabled, or hosted.
As Ray says; “Priority has served over 3000 customers in the past 20 years. Built on Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 35 tools and the Windows Presentation Framework (WPF), Priority 13 WPF designs with many user roles in mind. The unique UI/UE provides a competitive differentiator in the highly competitive SMB ERP market.”
June 5th, 2009
Tradework – A new client, a new country, a new industry
Tradework are the latest company to join the eMerge roster, opting for Priority ERP over many of its competitors. This company represents a number of firsts as they are the first food producer as well as the first customer in Germany to select eMerge as their vendor of choice. Tradework are importers and blenders of fruit juice concentrates, NFC’s and other organic juices as well as essential oils and flavours.
Priority has been installed worldwide, but for eMerge this implementation represents the first in Germany which Managing Director Phil Nicholls sees as a significant development in the eMerge business plan; “Germany has always been a hub for trade and commerce and with this implementation, we are now in a position to expand throughout the region and increase global use of Priority. As Tradework are a global company, with European offices in Hamburg and Rotterdam and a supply chain that stretches across South America, Africa and Asia, the potential for Priority is huge.”
Being part of a worldwide network that represents each products country of origin, reliable control and full documentation of the entire chain of production is essential. Any ERP system therefore has to manage product procurement, storage, handling and delivery. Also important to the company is the reporting on blend availability and currency hedging. Tradework deal in products of a naturally varying nature; the properties of Fruit Juice will naturally change over the year, therefore any blend involving that juice needs to be adjusted accordingly. Priority is adaptable enough to manage all of these requirements without large scale developments to the system.
This project has certainly provoked a stirring response at eMerge with Project leaders enthusiastic to turn Priority’s adaptable system to a new challenge. As MD Phil Nicholls explains; “These are exciting times and proof positive that a good ERP system is a must in this financial climate, no matter where in the world you are.”
May 29th, 2009
Upgrading causes problems for SAP users
Upgrading an existing software package is an inherently troubling prospect for many companies. Now it seems that users planning to upgrade to the latest version of SAP software, SAP ERP 6.0, are facing all manner of problems.
A recent survey by Macro 4 of the European Union finds that out of 135 SAP users who participated, 90% admitted that they faced a major ordeal in performing upgrades because of the historical data in their systems.
Many of the companies involved, from the UK, Spain and France, highlighted these main issues:
- 73% mentioned the time that upgrades consume.
- 60% mentioned the complexity involved.
- 50% mentioned the burden placed on staffing resources.
- 41% were worried about the risk of system failure.
- 39% were concerned about potential loss of data.
Phil Nicholls, MD of eMerge IT, says that “Because of the potential for problems at the upgrade stage, we at eMerge do our best to ensure that Priority outshines its competitors in this regard. Upgrades are achieved speedily and with minimum effort from our clients, and of course anyone upgrading to the latest version of Priority can do so absolutely free. This is our pledge to our customers.”
Read the full article at
May 22nd, 2009
Emerge implements priority in Dunlop Systems and Components
After a thorough implementation, Dunlop went live with Priority Version 13 on May 5th. Dunlop – a market leader in the industry of automotive air suspension units – decided to replace their outdated BAAN system with a more flexible system in 2008 and after months of searching and rigorous testing, they decided upon Priority from eMerge.
They are using all available modules from day one, including; Purchasing, Finance, Projects, CRM and Production Planning. The complex system contains four operating companies and a holding company which will interface automatically with the others for inter-company transactions.
The period of implementation involved a comprehensive data cleansing process that ensured greater accuracy of data on the new system. This allowed Dunlop to enjoy up to date costings, production times and analysis of Sales profit online. Project manager Lina Donskoy who has overseen the implementation process has seen first hand the positive reaction to Priority at Dunlop; “Users often comment on the ease of use in comparison to their old ERP software.”
May 2009
Flexibility will be the key to success during economic downturn
The overall economy and the supply chain industry face many tough challenges in 2009. Today’s marketplace presents the need for greater flexibility, with many companies looking at rising business costs and uncertain economic conditions. Businesses in this economic climate must evaluate how best to utilise the global supply chain for even more value and efficiency.
Phil Nichols, MD of eMerge IT, highlights many ways in which Priority can assist in developing a leaner approach to the supply chain by adopting more flexible practices to manoeuver through these uncertain times; “The supply chain is literally the life blood of the economy, and in this unprecedented time in the history of global economics the signs are clear that in order to meet the demands of a changing market, companies themselves must be prepared to change.”
1) Real risk needs real risk management
Supply chain agility will go from being a conference topic to a practical imperative for most companies. Priority has shifted from just using planning tools to also using point-of-use analytics coupled with automatic work-flow structures that highlight risk mechanisms. The emphasis is on rapid informed decision making as a key component of risk management.
2) “Green” solutions for a “greener” enterprise
Enterprises focusing on green initiatives are driving bottom line value and winning over customers. Priority allows companies to streamline the supply chain by decreasing human and manufactured waste, and optimizing transportation networks.
3) Greater emphasis on Business Intelligence
Priority offers a unified source of supply chain reporting that delivers data and solution options to decision makers at the point of use. This shifts away from the traditional focus of Business intelligence that merely deliver the same tired descriptive and retrospective reports. As a consequence, analytics will cease to exist as a separate category and become a fundamental part of the decision support landscape.
April 2009
Priority Version 13 rolling out across the country
Ever since the rollout late last summer of Priority version 13, eMerge has been keeping its promise of rolling out this latest upgrade to its customers free of charge.
Existing Priority ERP customers are already benefiting from another free major annual upgrade from eMerge. New customers and prospects will also be able to take advantage of the “Free Upgrades for Life” ethos, new visual displays and the high levels of interaction.
Over the past 15 years the highly customizable Priority ERP solution has given manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and contractors a remarkably powerful tool to help nourish their business and excel in the market place. With the new release of Version 13, all new and existing Priority customers are set to work even smarter than before.
Phil Nicholls explains “Aside from the look and feel improvements, and the enhanced connectivity features; Priority ERP can offer the user a wealth of new functionality. More and more companies are migrating to Priority because of the unparalleled low level of investment our internationally respected solution is able to provide.”
March 2009
eMerge partners with Avast!
A good antivirus solution is a must for any business - it needs to be reliable and low maintenance. Enter avast! with its award winning, high-end technologies that work in perfect synergy to protect your system and valuable data against computer viruses.
eMerge have named Avast! As the antivirus of preference for the Priority ERP system and can recommend it for all Priority installations.
Avast products are highly scalable; they can protect a single node to hundreds of thousands. This is made possible using the Avast Distributed Network Manager which is amongst the most flexible and robust centrally managed antivirus solution available.
February 2009
Priority reduces carbon footprint
Tana Water (UK) has deployed Priority to reduce the carbon footprint of its service engineering team, ensuring its engineers are travelling the least distance between customers, and reducing the number of service visits per customer.
Tana has over 15,000 mains-fed water dispensers out in use in the UK. The carbon and ultra-violet filters that remove impurities such as chlorine from tap water have to be changed every six months by an engineer approved by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme.
Tana is using Priority to integrate with sales and service data and has installed tracking on each engineer's van. The company can zone territories, matching engineers and customer, and customer visits can be scheduled so that the legally required filter changes are done at the same time as routing servicing.
According to managing director Nick Heane; 'Before we installed the tracker devices and Priority software, engineers were literally passing each other en route to customers.' He says the new system not only reduces carbon emissions, but makes good business sense too.
January 2009
Priority is the key to beating the recession
UK –North West- based Bollard & HIVB manufacturer ATG Access are maintaining growth and attacking the “credit crunch” blues and now stands to expand with help from Priority. They first implemented the system in 2003 when Managing Director Glenn Cooper recognised the need for a greater control and efficiency.
So successful has eMerge been in helping to develop this company into the world leader that it is, that now ATG Access have partnerships across the globe -22 Agents -and have recently moved to a purpose built, state of the art manufacturing facility in Haydock, UK.
In the past few months they have successfully acquired the HIVB operation in the USA from the Global Access provider Boon Edam. Because of their belief in the Priority system, ATG Access has chosen to implement the Priority solution in their US operation, ATG Access Inc. As part of the philosophy of “shrink wrapping” it’s processors and procedures into acquisitions.
The recent acquisition marks the continued growth of this company who have such a high commitment to Priority, they have always seen it a crucial element in the their overall global strategy.
December 2008
2008 proves to be another successful year at eMerge
2008 was to be a year of consolidation at eMerge with the emphasis on developing staff training and expanding the sales and marketing department. Having moved into new premises in 2007, extensive remodelling and refurbishment has been undertaken to alter the building to fit our needs. These needs included brand new conference facilities as well as an extensive sales and marketing suite. Also refurbished this year were the eMerge logo and website which now reflects the forward thinking direction that the company embraces.
For many people 2008 will be remembered as a bad year for business and the economy. However, here at eMerge we have found that many companies have taken the current economic downturn in their stride and looked upon it as an opportunity to streamline their operations and cut costs. This thinking has led them to seek out effective resource planning, which in turn has led them to us.
In the last 12 months we have recorded a 50% increase in the number of sales completed over the previous year, with two companies agreeing terms in under a month. This is a clear indication of the ever upward direction that the company is taking and sets the pace for 2009.
November 2008
Arcflex become latest company to join eMerge
Priority has once more proved itself to be the ERP solution for the medium sized companies that are left out in the cold by the other more inflexible systems on the market. The latest company to engage the services of eMerge are the Staffordshire based company Arcflex Ltd.
Arcflex are a leading designer of stainless steel convoluted flexible hose and tubing. They maintain a full manufacturing facility that is capable of producing a wide variety of sizes and styles, along with braiding facilities and a wide range of CNC machines. Having run the operation on a manual process for nearly 30 years, the need to streamline was inevitable.
Innovation Manager Paul Watson met with several companies to view products as diverse as Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics and JobShop before seeing Priority. In less than a month after the first meeting, the other systems had been dropped from the sales cycle and a deal had been done. One of the main reasons for selecting Priority was its flexibility, as Paul explained; “Because we supply to the Aerospace industry we are heavily governed by quality control. Priority was the only system that provided full quality control traceability of procedure.”
Paul was also impressed with the accountability that eMerge presented as a company; “For every question I asked I received a straight answer. Before the sales cycle was over I had a complete idea of just how the software could be tailored to my needs, which was refreshing.”
October 2008
Dunlop - A familiar name joins the eMerge family
With the credit crunch affecting an economic downturn, the summer of 2008 could well be remembered as a time of financial stress for the UK’s business community. Despite this, eMerge IT has continued to grow as an organisation winning new contracts and expanding its operating capacity.
The newest company to implement PRIORITY as its ERP solution should be familiar to all. Dunlop is an instantly recognisable name in the arena of British manufacturing with multiple sites around the country.
The systems and components company originally sought out eMerge as a possible replacement for their existing BAAN software solution that was proving both costly and inflexible. Now they are implementing PRIORITY across all areas of their production line.
eMerge Managing Director Phil Nicholls puts the success down to Priority’s key selling point, “For a company involved in any kind of manufacturing or distribution who are beginning to feel the pinch of a possible recession, it makes sense to streamline their current software systems, reduce waste and gain the most from their supply chain. This is something that Priority excels at.”
June 2008
eMerge to announce new standard SFDC module
Hampshire-based eMerge Information Technology, specialist developer of e-business and ERM solutions, are pleased to announce the release of a new Shop Floor Data Collection module for its Priority ERP solution.
In the past eMerge has provided solutions to customers for their SFDC requirements using 3rd party solutions. The down side of this for our customers has often been in the price of such solutions.
Now eMerge are able to provide much more cost-effective solution to their customers based on industry standard technology and using a broad choice of ruggedised hardware.
Manufacturing and distribution environments will benefit from this new standard module allowing more cost effective and accurate shop floor transactions at far more realistic pricing for the smaller enterprise.
Phil Nicholls, Managing Director of eMerge, comments: “We are always striving to provide the most cost-effective solutions for our customers. This new capability will allow a faster project turnaround and lower costs for our customers”
April 2008
Version 13 to provide a fresh new look
Hampshire-based eMerge Information Technology, specialist developer of e-business and ERM solutions, have announced that Version 13 of the Priority ERP solution will be available to the UK customers in Autumn 2008.
The new version, browser based and presented in WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) provides a radical new look which is fresh and lends itself to high levels of user acceptance and productivity.
Phil Nicholls, Managing Director of eMerge, comments: “This is yet another example of us listening to our customers and providing Priority with a new look for the future. This is also not just about cosmetics, but also about new features and functionality that can now be easily implemented within this new architecture.”
January 2008
Another cracking year for eMerge
Hampshire-based eMerge Information Technology, specialist developer of e-business and ERM solutions, has completed another good year of trading in 2007.
Year on year sales growth has improved by 57% from 2006 to 2007. This shows an increase in new-name sales and good growth in sales from the existing installed base.
Yet again the annual maintenance charges to customers did not increase with inflation representing an increase in value for money in real terms for all eMerge customers.
Headcount also increased during the year as more customers take on Priority and require greater levels of support.
All of this growth is simply strengthening eMerge’s position in the UK market providing excellent solutions to more and more manufacturing, commercial and distribution organisations in the SME sector.
Phil Nicholls, Managing Director of eMerge, said: “It is great that our software, our services and the massive value that the Priority system offers is being enjoyed by more and more companies in the UK.”
July 2007
Further expansion means new premises at eMerge
Following the healthy increase in business through 2006 and 2007, eMerge Information Technology Ltd is pleased to announce they have moved into new premises on Chandlers Ford Industrial Estate.
The new offices provide significant increases in floor area to accommodate the expansion that has taken place over the last 12
months and allow for further future growth. The accommodation includes purpose-built conference and training facilities and the communications infrastructure has been upgraded to ensure eMerge project managers can provide even better remote service and support to our installed customer base.
Phil Nicholls (MD of eMerge) comments that “this move has been carried out with eMerge’s usual efficiency as is evidenced by the fact that no customers felt any impact during the physical move. We have now put in place the infrastructure that will allow us to continue our strong growth thus benefiting our established, new and future customers”.
March 2007
2007 starts the way 2006 finished for eMerge
February 2007
More work brings more recruits to eMerge
January 2007
eMerge Has Superb end to 2006
September 2006
Priority ERP/MRP........Switching on SME's (as featured in The Manufacturer)
August 2006
New major software upgrade.......free to all existing customers
Priority ERP/MRP Version 12.........major release announced
Simple to use prototyping tool for developers
Priority ERP/MRP & Project Management wins the hearts of product developers
June 2006
Priority ERP/MRP showcase in the UK
eMerge will be holding regular ERP showcases over the UK so we can bring Priority to your local area. Please contact Emma to find out more about your local Priority Workshop 0845 230 6740 or email info@emerge-it.co.uk
May 2006
eMerge Information Technology & Priority ERP........Helping manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage (as featured in IT in Manufacturing)
Priority ERP/MRP has an extremely broad scope of functionality. Used in the most demanding of industries, from Pharmaceuticals to Aerospace manufacture and from project driven to service led organisations, Priority is well respected in the SME marketplace
April 2006
Priority Outlook integration now offers powerful Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Have you seen the new MS Outlook Priority Dashboard from eMerge?
March 2006
Project management tool for Consultants, Contractors & Project Managers
Priority from eMerge is set to become the most talked about ERP & Project Management solution in 2006
November 2005
CRM & CTI integration for effective desktop dialing
New Media Software and eMerge Information Technology Ltd announce CTI integration with Priority
N.B. All of these news items are all in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format, click here if you do not have the Acrobat reader installed