CRC Information Systems

CRC Information Systems (CRC), developer of the industry leading MIS/ERP system, Nucleus, welcomed customers to the Spring 2011 CRC User Group Conference for three days of product demonstrations emphasizing new enhancements, specific product meetings, and educational breakout sessions.  Clients were also able to meet with CRC developers giving them an opportunity to put a face with the voices they hear during customization project discussions and software support service calls.  

Efficiency is the name of the game in any manufacturing environment—maximize output, minimize input. It’s a simple formula, but there’s nothing simple about implementing it. One of the more common approaches used to improve manufacturing efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, has been around for some time. It is a concept that drives companies toward efficient operations by relentlessly focusing on waste—in any form—that impacts time and materials. A key underlying requirement for implementing effective Lean Manufacturing practices is accurate and timely information. This is why there is a close association between Lean Manufacturing and business/production software systems. As one example, David Taylor, president/CEO of

The term MIS—management information systems—gets thrown around so much that the significance of its impact gets taken for granted. Company management and all employees making management decisions (and in well-managed companies, these decisions are made at the lowest possible organizational level) depend on accurate, real-time information to make good decisions that enhance the bottom line. So, you would think systems that provide the information for management decisions would get top billing, or at least some priority. However, this is not always the case. Companies that are in the MIS business for the printing arena sometimes struggle to win the battles for investment

Package printers have their hands full. While their focus is directed toward meeting the needs of their customers, they must accomplish this by spending their money wisely and increasing profits in their own operations. In the past few years, business production software has come to the rescue of package printers faced with the increasing need to run a lean business, while maintaining high-quality standards. Display Pack of Grand Rapids, Mich., was among those looking for a better way to streamline processes and exchange information. Its custom-developed business management system lacked strong estimation and business integration, and the means to provide financial information. Display Pack

Packaging companies reap the benefits from software designed to better manage their business/production processes from start to finish. MOST OF TODAY'S successful packaging converters and printers have one thing in common: a modern business/production software solution. These software applications support companies with one plant or several, making it easy to manage current business and production processes from quotes through shipping, all the while increasing efficiency and adding dollars to the bottomline. To get a better understanding of what today's business/production software can do for packaging companies, packagePRINTING recently spoke to several converters and printers about their success with some of the most popular

These products and companies were the most sought-after in 2002 by packagePRINTING readers. Top 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Creo—PDF-based packaging workflow Prinergy Powerpack, copydot scanning systems, film imagers, and CtP devices 2. Agfa—Workflow and color management systems including the AgfaScan XY-15 Plus, Sherpa 43 Inkjet system, and Lithostar plates 3. Kodak Polychrome Graphics—Offers Digital and conventional plates, film, and proofing and color technologies including the Kodak Approval XP unit 4. BASF—Offers Nyloflex® and Nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing photopolymer flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 5. MacDermid—Broad range of sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves,

Business management software suites offer all the bells and whistles; the hard part is deciding where to begin. WHETHER YOUR PROBLEM is scheduling, book keeping, inventory, e-commerce, or all the above, business and production management software could be the answer. Not sure which suite is right for you? packagePRINTING went right to the source for a rundown of some of today's popular solutions. pP: What is your newest software package? What advantages does it provide users Esad Suskic, Pandora product marketing manager, ScenicSoft: Pandora is a native PDF-based prepress production tool for packaging and label layouts. It was created for packaging printers looking for

Today's production software works toward optimum process efficiency both converter and customer can monitor. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor THE ROAR OF the crowd for e-commerce capability will eventually grow too loud for package print firms to ignore; in preparation, business/production software suppliers have been charged with seamlessly integrating shop-floor data with on-line customer service. The notion of e-commerce and its implications for business has become increasingly familiar to package printers over the last few years. "Today, we are finding printers are much more knowledgeable about the Internet and software in general," states Glen Forbes, VP/sales, Western Region, CRC Information Systems. He