Process software upgraded
record keeping and traceability for food and beverage processors.
The company claims that the system will enable manufacturers to
meet new industry regulations and the increasingly stringent food
safety requirements of retailers and customers, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
Food manufacturers need to be able to prove that they understand every link in the supply chain. To achieve this, iRenaissance can instantly trace forward and backward to determine the disposition of any ingredient or intermediate or finished product at any point throughout the materials handling, manufacturing, inventory, sales and delivery processes.
Mock recalls and food safety audits are becoming baseline requirements for doing business with many of the leading brand marketers and retail chains. The iRenaissance system also provides alerts to prevent quality control violations and also enables rapid and thorough containment to minimise the scope of a recall should a mistake occur.
Ross Systems says that iRenaissance helps food processors gain complete, integrated control of recipe management, inventory management, production, quality control, planning and cost management. The system serves as the operational system-of-record, capable of recording all operations and operators, quality control measurements, inventory movements, recipe changes, production yields and deviations from standard specifications.
"Food safety is a key issue in our industry today, and our enhanced record keeping and traceability systems are helping customers address these increasing challenges,"said Ross Systems chief executive J. Patrick Tinley. "At the same time, we are helping our customers extend the value of their food safety systems to improve their financial bottom lines.
"By leveraging iRenaissance for overall operational improvements, our customers are also reporting reductions in spoilage, fewer quality control errors, reduced inventories and improved customer service levels."
Ross Systems is preparing to demonstrate iRenaissance ERP at the Food Safety Summit in Washington, DC, 17-19 March 2004, and will also participate in the presentation titled New Technologies for Traceback: The Latest in Food Safety and Supply Chain Integration.
Comprehensive record keeping and near-immediate traceability are quickly becoming critical requirements for food processors. In addition to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) regulations, which have been in effect for several years in most food industries, new regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and European Union have created higher compliance thresholds and challenges.
Amid these increasing regulatory pressures, food processors are also seeing increased demand to demonstrate the effectiveness of their brand-protection measures for larger customers.
