-- VMI to Complement Lean Manufacturing Initiative
-- WIKA is Leading Supplier of Industrial Pressure & Temperature
Instrumentation
CINCINNATI--(Business Wire)--
Datalliance, the leading independent provider of vendor managed
inventory (VMI) and related e-commerce services, today announced that
the United States operations of WIKA Instrument Corporation (WIKA), a
leading supplier of industrial pressure and temperature
instrumentation, has selected the Datalliance Vendor Managed Inventory
(VMI) service. WIKA USA will utilize Datalliance to provide VMI
services to the company's industrial distribution customers as well as
OEM customers and WIKA's sister division in Canada. Delivered as a
managed service via the Internet using the "Software as a Service"
(SaaS) model, Datalliance VMI enables suppliers and distributors to
rapidly implement VMI without the need to install or manage any
software or hardware, and with little or no internal IT support.
WIKA's VMI program will complement the company's Lean
Manufacturing processes, enabling WIKA to work collaboratively with
customers to help manage their inventories. "We've had excellent
success with our Lean Manufacturing initiative and we see VMI as the
next logical extension of that process," explained Michael Gerster,
WIKA USA President. "We're very focused on customer service and
respond as quickly as possible to their needs. Today, our on-time
delivery performance exceeds 97% but it's sometimes resource
intensive, and therefore less efficient, to meet short term demand for
our complex configuration of products. VMI will help us reduce demand
volatility and enable more efficient production. By gaining a better
view of actual demand, we can be more proactive in planning level
production through our manufacturing cells. This will make us more
efficient and ultimately allow us to deliver greater value to our
customers."
"Like WIKA, a growing number of companies are recognizing that
performing VMI with key customers is a great way to both leverage and
enhance their Lean Manufacturing operations," added Carl Hall,
Datalliance President and CEO. "We expect to see more companies follow
WIKA's lead in the coming years."
About WIKA
For over 60 years, WIKA Instrument Corporation (WIKA) has
continued to globally advance pressure and temperature instrumentation
technology and applications. In the United States, WIKA's operation
utilizes state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and highly
automated proprietary production equipment in its nearly
quarter-million-square-foot facility in the metro Atlanta suburb of
Lawrenceville, Georgia. As the industry leader in lean manufacturing,
WIKA offers a wide variety of stock and customized instrumentation
solutions for critical applications that often are distributed within
days. Producing over 30 million gauges, diaphragm seals, transmitters,
and thermometers worldwide annually, WIKA has the most extensive
product line in the industry. www.wika.com
About Datalliance
Datalliance is the world's largest independent VMI service
provider, processing over $4.8 billion in orders, 10.2 million SKUs,
and 25,300 locations. Delivered as a managed service via the Internet
using the 'Software as a Service' (SaaS) model, Datalliance VMI makes
it easy for suppliers and their customers to establish effective VMI
relationships that fully align business objectives, improve
collaboration, and streamline supply chain operations. Datalliance
serves leading Fortune 1000 companies in a number of different
industries. For more information about Datalliance and VMI, visit
www.datalliance.com.
Datalliance
Brian Lindner, 513-791-7272
Copyright Business Wire 2008
