Adopting Cloud Technology to Enable Manufacturing Agility

An End-To-End Solution

In this exclusive interview with cloud inventory expert Shawn Coultice, Head of Channel Partnerships at Katana MRP, we explore the growing role of cloud technology in enabling manufacturing agility. Katana, a leading cloud-based manufacturing ERP, allows businesses to rapidly implement an end-to-end solution and integrate various technologies to adapt quickly. Shawn explains that Katana's average implementation time is around 30 days versus months or longer for on-premise ERPs. This faster rollout enables manufacturers to streamline operations and recoup their investment more rapidly.

Katana's open API and cloud technology stack facilitates integration with e-commerce, accounting, and other solutions. This flexibility allows small to medium manufacturers to adopt innovations swiftly, competing with more prominent players. User adoption and intuitive interfaces also drive success. Shawn notes that Katana operates smoothly like consumer software, easing onboarding and boosting ROI.

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Cloud ERPs: Faster Implementation Vs. On-Premise Systems

Advantages of Cloud ERPs in Deployment Speed

One of the main advantages of cloud ERPs like Katana is the speed of deployment. According to Shawn, “Our average implementation time is around 30 days. So our customers are up and running on the solution quickly”. This faster implementation allows businesses to recoup their investment in ERP systems more quickly than on-premise ERP systems, which can take six months to a year or more to implement. As I mentioned in the interview, the faster implementation time is a significant advantage for businesses looking to streamline their operations and quickly adapt to new technologies. By embracing manufacturing agility, companies can optimize their production processes, improving efficiency and reducing waste.

Related article: Supporting the Rise of Hybrid Manufacturing Business Models - Learn how Katana MRP can help you manage the complexity of hybrid operations and succeed in the evolving world of manufacturing.

Easier Integration With Other Solutions For Flexibility

Katana's open API allows it to connect with the newest technology available in the market, enabling small businesses to be more agile and adopt new technology faster. This helps them compete with their smaller competitors and larger companies, as technology has leveled the playing field. As I mentioned in the interview, this flexibility and ease of integration are essential for businesses looking to stay competitive and grow in today's fast-paced market.

Cloud technology allows for easier integration with other solutions. As Shawn explains, “Katana is utilizing a cloud technology stack to enable small to medium-sized businesses to scale and grow and offer competitive services, much like some of the enterprise solutions would be in the market.” This ability to integrate with e-commerce platforms, accounting solutions, and other tools creates a unified and flexible solution for businesses. Integrating advanced technologies like Katana MRP can enhance manufacturing agility by streamlining inventory management and production planning.

Furthermore, Shawn highlighted the importance of user adoption and the system's ease of use, stating, “Katana is going to operate very smoothly and intuitively, much like you would expect any sort of direct consumer software.” This user-friendly interface helps businesses quickly onboard their employees and start reaping the system's benefits. Manufacturing agility is crucial for businesses to stay ahead of the competition and maintain a strong position in the market.

Cloud ERPs like Katana offer faster implementation and easier integration with other solutions, providing businesses with a more flexible and efficient system than on-premise ERP systems. By utilizing cloud technology, businesses can quickly adapt to new technologies and stay competitive in the market.

As Forbes hilights, if you think of digital transformation less as a technology project to be finished than as a state of perpetual agility, always ready to evolve for whatever customers want next, and you’ll be pointed down the right path.

Supporting Business Manufacturing Agility Through Rapid Adoption Of New Innovations

Agility and Innovation

The Role of Cloud Technology in Driving Innovation and Staying Competitive

Katana MRP is designed to help businesses stay competitive in the manufacturing landscape. Shawn explains, “Katana is utilizing a cloud technology stack to enable small to medium-sized businesses to scale and grow and offer competitive services, much like some enterprise solutions would be in the market.” By providing a unified solution that brings together multiple technologies, Katana allows businesses to manage their inventory and processes, allowing for manufacturing agility and efficiency, ultimately driving innovation and staying competitive.

Related article: Hybrid Commerce: The Future of E-Commerce - See how hybrid commerce models can help you diversify your operations and reach new markets.

Challenges And Barriers To Cloud Adoption In Manufacturing

Cloud ERP solutions like Katana MRP support business agility by allowing for the rapid adoption of innovations. Shawn mentioned in the Software Spotlight podcast, “If they're in an on-premise closed environment, it's difficult for them to adopt new technology. And that's where something like Katana, where we have an open API, can connect with the newest technology available in the market, allowing small businesses to be much more agile and adopt that new technology faster”.

Common Concerns and Challenges

Manufacturers often face common concerns and challenges when adopting cloud technology. Shawn highlights the importance of user adoption and the system's ease of use, stating, “Katana is going to operate very smoothly and intuitively, much like you would expect any sort of direct consumer software.” This user-friendly interface helps businesses quickly onboard their employees and start reaping the benefits of the system.

Strategies for Overcoming Challenges and Barriers

To overcome challenges and barriers to cloud adoption in manufacturing, businesses can focus on the speed of implementation and the system's ease of use. As Shawn mentions, their solution is implemented quickly, typically in around 30 days. He went on to say, “Our customers are up and running fully on the solution really quickly.” By choosing a cloud ERP solution like Katana that offers a fast implementation time and a user-friendly interface, businesses can more easily adopt new technologies and stay competitive in the market. At the end of the day, manufacturing agility allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer demands, ensuring a competitive edge.

Lean Manufacturing Principles and Improved Manufacturing Agility

In the interview, Shawn discussed implementing lean manufacturing principles and practices and how they can significantly improve manufacturing agility, resulting in better resource utilization and overall business performance.

Shawn shared that “Katana” comes from the Japanese mindset around minimizing waste and being efficient, inspired by Toyota's Kaizen and lean manufacturing principles. He explained that Katana MRP is a cloud-based inventory management and manufacturing solution that helps businesses consolidate demand from multiple sales channels, manage and have visibility around their inventory and manufacturing processes, and understand their costs.

One of the critical aspects of Katana that sets it apart from other solutions is its ease of use and the speed at which businesses can implement it. Implementation is significantly faster than traditional ERP systems. Additionally, Katana's open API allows easy integration with other technologies, enabling small businesses to be more agile and adopt new technology faster.

Accenture confirms that several factors play a role in boosting supply chain innovation. From our end we see cloud technology as a way to drive agility and velocity—it allows companies to deliver new services into production.

Another unique feature of Katana is its scheduling system and shop floor control application, which allows businesses to prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and track the time and cost associated with each job. This real-time nature of the system enables better control and visibility of what needs to be purchased and produced, allowing businesses to run a much more lean inventory environment.

The implementation of lean manufacturing principles and practices through solutions like Katana MRP can significantly improve manufacturing agility, resulting in better resource utilization and overall business performance. By providing real-time visibility, easy integration, efficient scheduling, and shop floor control, Katana enables businesses to operate more efficiently and effectively in today's competitive market.

Case Studies Of Successful Cloud Adoption In Manufacturing

QuantAQ Case Study: Streamlined workflows and ensured traceability with Katana MRP

QuantAQ, a company specializing in air quality monitoring, successfully adopted Katana MRP to streamline its workflows and ensure traceability. According to Shawn from Katana, “Katana is an inventory management and manufacturing solution. It handles the operational side of most businesses.”

By consolidating demand from multiple sales channels into one system, Katana helped QuantAQ “identify what they need to go and make, what they need to go and buy so that they can go and fulfill those orders.” The cloud-based nature of Katana also allowed QuantAQ to “be much more agile and adopt that new technology faster so that they can out-compete not only, you know, their smaller competitors, but even the larger companies that they now have really leveled the playing field with technology.”

System76 Case Study

System76 is a computer manufacturer specializing in producing Linux-based laptops, desktops, and servers. They faced challenges in managing their inventory, production, and sales processes due to the lack of a centralized system. They needed a solution to help them manage their inventory, production planning, and sales orders more efficiently and efficiently.

Katana MRP provided System76 with a cloud-based inventory management and manufacturing agility solution integrated with their existing e-commerce and accounting platforms. The implementation of Katana MRP allowed System76 to have real-time visibility into their inventory levels, production processes, and sales orders, enabling them to make better decisions and streamline their operations. As a result, System76 experienced improved efficiency, reduced manual work, and increased control over their business processes.

Komali Tortillas Case Study

Komali Tortillas is a company that produces artisanal corn tortillas. Due to the lack of a centralized system, they faced challenges in managing their inventory, production planning, and sales orders. They needed a solution to help them manage their inventory, production planning, and sales orders more efficiently and efficiently.

Katana MRP provided Komali Tortillas with a cloud-based inventory management and manufacturing agility solution integrated with their existing e-commerce and accounting platforms. The implementation of Katana MRP allowed Komali Tortillas to have real-time visibility into their inventory levels, production processes, and sales orders, enabling them to make better decisions and streamline their operations. As a result, Komali Tortillas experienced improved efficiency, reduced manual work, and increased control over their business processes.

In all three case studies, Katana MRP helped the companies overcome their challenges by providing a centralized, cloud-based solution that integrated with their existing systems and allowed them to manage their inventory, production planning, and sales orders more efficiently. The implementation of Katana MRP resulted in improved efficiency, reduced manual work, and increased control over their business processes.

Best Practices For Implementing And Managing Cloud-Based ERPs

Key steps involved in implementing a cloud-based ERP

When implementing a cloud-based ERP, choosing a solution that meets your business needs and strongly focuses on security and data protection is essential. Develop a detailed implementation plan, including timelines, resources, and milestones. Train employees on the new system and provide ongoing support to ensure a smooth transition. Monitor the implementation process closely and make adjustments as needed to ensure success.

Best practices for managing cloud-based ERPs

To manage cloud-based ERPs effectively, regularly review and update your system to ensure it continues to meet your business needs and stays current with industry trends. Invest in employee training and change management initiatives to promote a culture of innovation and facilitate the adoption of new technologies. Leverage the support and expertise of cloud ERP vendors and their partner networks to ensure successful implementation and ongoing management of the solution. Continuously monitor system performance and adjust as needed to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

Conclusion

As this article has shown, adopting cloud-based ERPs like Katana can provide transformative benefits for manufacturers. According to Shawn, the solution's average implementation time is fast, typically just 30 days versus months for on-premise systems. This enables rapid rollout and faster ROI.

Additionally, per Shawn, Katana's integration capabilities empower businesses to “adopt new technology faster” and “out-compete” rivals. The platform's open API connects with leading e-commerce, accounting, and analytics solutions for end-to-end visibility.

With the landscape related to manufacturing agility growing more competitive, the ability to rapidly implement and integrate innovations is critical. As Shawn stated, Katana's purpose-built cloud ERP levels the playing field, allowing SMBs to “offer competitive services” like enterprise players.

The future success of your manufacturing agility lies in embracing cloud-based platforms. To leverage cloud technology's potential for driving efficiency and informed decisions, manufacturers should consider test-driving solutions like Katana MRP. Sign up for a Free trial of Katana MRP today. (No Credit Card Required.)

Watch our Software Spotlight podcast featuring Katana MRP: In this episode, Shawn Coultice of cloud inventory management leader Katana MRP explains how the solution helps online sellers efficiently manage multi-channel order fulfillment, manufacturing, purchasing, and financials - enabling small businesses to save time, reduce costs and scale using enterprise-level technology.