“War on Terror” hits food ERPers

Thanks to the “War on Terror,” there’s a tough new regulation in the United States that’s going to require attention from ERP providers — lots of attention, even from small businesses.

A new study published by Automation Media states emphatically that “By the end of 2006, all food manufacturers must meet compliance with the Bioterrorism Act, including companies with fewer than 10 employees.” The study was authored by manufacturing industry journalist Thomas R. Cutler and focuses on the economic and financial impact of regulatory compliance.

At the heart of the changes is documentation of lot traceability, paperwork and record-keeping that is the law. And many companies are suddenly scrambling to fill the gap with the clock ticking away.

According to Rebecca Gill, vice president of Toledo, Ohio-based Technology Group International, some key lot traceability functions that are essential but sadly lacking in a great deal of ERP vendors that presently claim market segmentation competency.

As Gill sees it, critical problem areas include full tracking of raw material lots through manufacturing; full tracking of finished-good lots through shipment to customer; complete reporting on lot genealogy; ability to query the end-users’ sales orders; ability to see all raw material and finished good lots used for specific shipments; ability to query lot from vendor or manufacturing and see all end users to which a given lot is shipped; and the ability to track lot properties with allowable criteria for each lot.

Other important functionalities that support food manufacturing audits and quality assurance but are not a direct response to the Bioterrorism Act include automatic quality assurance of incoming products; tracking of original country for raw materials; and complete data warehouse for 24/7 ad hoc reporting.

The report and related commentary is available at www.automationmedia.com.

Automation Media is a web-based news daily devoted to automation and controls engineering with an emphasis on new technology information.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Technology Group International is a software solutions provider for small and mid-market manufacturing and distribution companies. TGI implements, maintains, enhances, and supports its packaged distribution and manufacturing software solutions directly and via its channel partners.