Integrated PLM, global sourcing, ERP software at Stony Apparel

NGC's software will streamline processes, improve efficiency and speed to market for private and branded label apparel manufacturer, Stony Apparel.

December 1, 2009

NGC software is helping private and branded label apparel manufacturer, Stony Apparel.

NGC (New Generation Computing) says that Stony Apparel, a branded and private-label manufacturer of girls and junior clothing for some of the nation’s largest retailers, is implementing NGC’s Global Enterprise System software suite. The software includes e-PLM for product lifecycle management, e-SPS for global sourcing and visibility, and RedHorse ERP for EDI, customer order processing, inventory management, shipping and financial accounting.

Stony Apparel is realizing benefits in the early stages of rollout, NGC said. With the EDI module in RedHorse, Stony met a complex EDI requirement from a Tier 1 retailer and book a very large order, which would have been impossible without the new software.

Stony Apparel selected NGC’s software suite to help manage rapid growth, streamline business processes, and provide global visibility, according to NGC. Stony sought an "end to end" ERP, PLM and global sourcing software to transform its design, customer service, production and shipping processes for hundreds of styles produced monthly.

"We needed an integrated system that could tie everything together," said Richard Swartz, CFO, Stony Apparel. Local West Coast implementation support also was important for rapid return on investment, Swartz said.

When the software implementation is complete, expected benefits include:
– Improved collaboration. NGC’s PLM and global sourcing software provides end-to-end visibility throughout the design and production process, and the web-based solution enables central, web-based communications and collaboration between Stony and its factories in Mexico, Central America and China. Software-based calendars help Stony’s employees and suppliers manage the production workflow. Alerts are automatically triggered whenever deadlines are missed – allowing production problems to be quickly identified and resolved.
– Better margins. Improve design costing processes will allow the apparel company to quickly provide retail customers with pricing and ensure that target margins can be met.
– Elimination of redundancies in data entry. "It will be easier to copy and create new styles without doing double entries, and that affects everything from bill of materials through costing and accounting," said Tracy Gale, director of technical services and technical design, Stony Apparel.
– Enhanced customer service. e-PLM, e-SPS and RedHorse will enable Stony to deliver the highest level of customer service as business grows, allowing fast responses to customer requests, without sacrificing turnaround time or quality.
– Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) compliance. The NGC CPSIA Compliance Module will manage testing mandated by CPSIA. Having test reports and certificates of compliance in one place has value, Swartz said.

NGC, with offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, China, India, Mexico and El Salvador, is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Software Inc. (NASDAQ: AMSWA). For more information, visit www.ngcsoftware.com.

Search ERP and EDI at www.mbtmag.com to see related articles and news.
Also see from MBT in March 2008 – What I Learned: Apparel PLM Vendor Landscape Still Shaking Out .

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, electronic products editor, Manufacturing Business Technology , MBT www.mbtmag.com