Luis Ponte

Why replace a working MES with a new MES? There are many reasons, and they must be sound and significant for most companies to take on such a major endeavor. Industry 4.0 and an array of emerging digital technologies make the prospect of upgrading your MES attractive—taking advantage of new technologies; reducing a ‘hodgepodge’ of applications for a centrally-managed, cohesive application framework; and addressing hardware/software end of life issues with no migration path.

Establishing the need for an MES at the C-suite level is perhaps the first and most significant step in the long but highly rewarding journey of MES implementation. From that moment to the time an MES is deployed across the value chain, there will be a time lapse of at least 2 to 3 years.

It is only after the top management realizes the need to implement an MES, or to update the existing legacy system, that the MES project starts to take shape. With it comes complexity and fear of failure; so, to alleviate those fears, today we will explore ways in which you can ensure that your MES project is a success.

It’s not unusual to have concerns about progress to plan when the majority of resources will be working remotely. That’s why we’ve decided to share our practices and experience in these trying times.