Managing Automation - December 2008 - (Page 12)

FREE E-NEWSLETTERS SUBSRIBE NOW! news managingautomation.com maonline Go online for daily news updates in perspective Alliances, Executive Appointments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Products Transform your business through technology FREE Newsletters include: • MA Daily News Alert Hot off the press news exclusives written by MA Editorial • MA Membership Alert The latest industry research, products, news and web events Compete in the new global economy for years to come technology to make it work. Those are the companies that bought into the idea and encouraged us to acquire [DMI],” said Bob Lenich, director of data management service and solutions at Emerson Process Management. Having a complete technology solution, however, is only half the battle. Emerson also has to penetrate a saturated market. Emerson’s approach will be as judicious as its acquisition strategy, the company said, maneuvering into areas where its DeltaV and PlantWeb digital plant architecture are well-established. “In 2009 and [beyond], we’ll look at other industries key to Emerson, such as chemical, specialty chemical, oil and gas, petrochemical, and refining,” Lenich said. The sequenced workflow and integration with process control and other systems can be applied across any industry. “The problem is the terminology. The DMI software doesn’t necessarily have the functionality that a refinery needs,” Lenich said. Emerson already started resolving that issue with its January acquisition of The Automation Group, design and engineering experts in the refining and petrochemical industries, for example. And more acquisitions are likely to come. “In parallel with its technology investments, Emerson is making major investment in service organizations around the world to have the global resources to execute on projects. We have people on board who understand refining and oil and gas, and now they can expand the scope by applying [the DMI technology],” Lenich said. So, why move into MES now and not years ago? “The light bulb went off,” he said. “This is what customers need, and we are going to pursue it.” — Stephanie Neil INFOR CHIEF PUTS OFF IPO, RESTARTS BUYING PLANS hanks to the dramatic economic slowdown, enterprise software vendor Infor will almost certainly be forced to cancel its tentative plans to go public in the first quarter of 2009, said company Chairman and CEO Jim Schaper, in a recent interview with Managing Automation. “There are no [initial public offerings] getting done,” said Schaper, speaking at Infor’s annual Inforum customer conference in Las Vegas. “I don’t anticipate that there will be any IPOs getting done in the near future.” But the same economic forces that are halting the IPO market are opening other opportunities for Infor. Down markets have driven software company valuations so low T • Progressive Manufacturer • Viewpoint UPCOMING Managing Innovation in a Connected World Dec. 15-17, 2008 Singapore Management University, Singapore www.ispim.org/symposium ProMat 2009 Jan. 12-15, 2009 McCormick Place South Chicago www.promatshow.com ARC Advisory’s 13th Annual Winning Strategies and Best Practices for Sustainable Manufacturing Feb. 2-5, 2009 Rosen Centre Hotel Orlando, FL www.arcweb.com ODVA Conference and 13th Annual Meeting Feb. 24-26, 2009 EVENTS Provocative and inspirational, features the opinion columns in print with exclusives online Mission Inn Resort and Club Howey-In-The-Hills (Orlando), FL www.odva.org PAS Third Annual Users Conference March 9-11, 2009 South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center Houston www.pas.com/usersconference SAS Global Forum 2009 March 22-25, 2009 Gaylord National Resort, National Harbor Washington, D.C. http://support.sas.com ABB Automation & Power World March 24-26, 2009 Orlando World Center Marriott Orlando, FL www.abb.com/a&pworld • NEW Lean Matters Refreshing commentary on the pursuit of lean manufacturing Sign Up Today at: MANAGINGAUTOMATION.COM /NEWSLETTERS ® http://www.managingautomation.com http://www.odva.org http://www.ispim.org/symposium http://www.promatshow.com http://www.pas.com/usersconference http://www.MANAGINGAUTOMATION.COM/NEWSLETTERS http://support.sas.com http://www.arcweb.com http://www.abb.com/a&pworld

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - December 2008

Managing Automation - December 2008 Contents Take 1 Business Objects Chief Says Union with SAP Meets Objectives After One Year Yes, Emerson, Too, Is in the MES Market Infor Chief Puts Off IPO, Restarts Buying Plans Kronos Now Tracks Shop Floor Machines IQMS Rolls Out User Interace, Other Upgrades Notes Five Ideas for Demand Planning Building on the SOA Blueprint Innovation Now A Team Effort Lean %2B Technology = LEAN^2 Finding Flaws Before They Spread Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - December 2008

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