Manufacturing Execution System Trakware Profiled in Automation.com

In the current issue of Automation.com, leading• Manufacturing data collection
manufacturing journalist TR Cutler profiles Hollywood• Shop floor control
Woodwork's CFO and reveals the rationale in• Labor tracking
selecting Trakware's MES solution. The article may be• Work-in-process/progress (WIP)
read at its entirety atmanagement
Trakware Systems ( is the worldwide leader in• Material and inventory management
manufacturing execution system (MES) solutions for• Project execution and control / job
engineer-to-order (ETO) and project-basedcosting
manufacturers maximizing both profitability and• Financials
productivity. Trakware specializes in lean• Mobile access (laptop, wireless handhelds,
business-critical functions such as estimating,etc.)
advanced scheduling, job costing, productionHow CFO's in the ETO Environment Find Technology
management and labor as well as material shop floorDriving Culture Shifts
data collection. TRAKware software fully integratesImplementing the new MES system created a culture
with existing ERP systems, as well as majorshift throughout the enterprise beyond the initial
software providers for financials, engineering design,estimating functionality. While originally purchased for
optimization, payroll and wireless interaction for mobilethe Estimating Department it soon became evident
workers.that the organization needed to bring in
According Tony Parkinson, CFO of Hollywoodrepresentatives from all departments of the
Woodwork, in Hollywood Florida, "We were finding itcompany in order to have a successful
harder and harder to hire experienced estimatorsimplementation. "As an "Enterprise" software package
that truly knew our industry and we were spendingwe have discovered that imposes coordination
an inordinate amount of time developing estimatorsamong departments throughout the company, it
from within the company. We were concerned thatrequires defined tasks, sequences, and data formats
much of the knowledge we had concerning the "art"to be used by ALL people," according to CFO
of estimating was primarily in the heads of a fewParkinson.
people who were looking to retire in the next coupleCFO's top 3 reasons an ETO (engineer-to-order)
of years. We wanted to find an estimating packagemanufacturer (such as Hollywood Woodworking)
that was geared towards the architecturalshould consider in selecting an MES solution:
woodworking industry and would help us transfer the1. Properly implemented, it will allow a company to
knowledge of our senior estimators into a systemfocus on reducing costs and increasing margins.
that could benefit everyone. We knew if we could2. Enable the company to be more responsive to
systemize the process at a more granular level wecustomers in terms making and keeping
could better avoid "ballpark" estimates. We wouldcommitments, providing details, and delivering a job
have the ability to modify and provide estimateson time, on budget.
quicker and at a more detailed level - something our3. Help take a lot of data and turn it to information
customers were demanding."to make better informed decisions.
Checklist of Feature for MES in the ETO EnvironmentTrakware recognizes ETO manufacturing as a
• Estimatingprocess and includes a wide range of industry sectors
• Advanced production schedulingincluding Architectural Woodworking, Cabinets, Store
• Advanced parametric configurator /Fixtures, Doors and Windows, Furniture, Oil and Gas
product configurationFabrication, Solid Surface, Metal Fabrication,
• Change order managementYachts-building, and Custom Electronics.