Dismal level of ERP ‘Computerisation’ in Local Manufacturing Sector

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) specialist iContro reveals largest challenge faced by process-based manufacturers in Malaysia and region

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 November, 2013 – iContro Software Sdn Bhd (‘iContro’), 100% homegrown, Malaysia-based ERP provider, today shared its recent findings on the current state of computerisation in the Manufacturing sector, the 2nd largest economic industry in the country.

Frank Lee, CEO of iContro, says that despite the great progress in other ICT areas such as mobility, digital media, Big Data and cloud computing; the advancements in the biggest enterprise system – the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), is still sadly lacking.

“The behemoth ERP system is the core of all large enterprises and business operations whether in the public sector, telco, financial and retail. Yet, the advancements and technological upgrades within the ERP is one of the slowest and most painful.”

Lee particularly singles out the state of ERP systems in Process-based manufacturers, which he deduced is still ‘…at a very basic level of computerisation and automation’.

“As a significant portion of local manufacturers are process-based, it is not far-fetched to assume that this is currently one of the least automated sectors in the country, despite it being a top economic activity for Malaysia.”

In addition to the ERP systems of process-based manufacturers being the least ‘computerised’ or ‘automated’ of all other manufacturers, iContro estimates that less than one third of Malaysia-based process manufacturers even deploy an ERP system for their operations.

“The main reason for this dismal ERP phenomenon in Malaysia and the region, is because most ERP systems available cannot cope with the highly complex nature of  process-based manufacturing.

Even if they have some kind of ERP system, they are mostly limited to handle the manufacturers’ financials, distribution or HR functions only instead of being optimised to integrate and automate the actual and entire process manufacturing operations,” explains Lee.

iContro Dominates in Paints
Over the last 18 years, iContro has been focusing on developing and providing ERP systems for complex business operations. The company today offers a comprehensive suite of ERP solutions across sectors, but hold current dominance of paint manufacturers (which are in the category of process-based manufacturing).

“Most of the paint manufacturers in Malaysia today use iContro as their default ERP – simply because it works extremely well to support all the complexities in their niche operations, and is much more affordable than other international ERP brands in the market,” shares Lee.

Besides continual upgrades to these existing manufacturing clients, he says that iContro is getting interest from players in other sectors such as Building Materials related, Oil & Gas and Property.

 “The ERP market in Malaysia is slowly but surely undergoing a transformation as companies scrutinize that the capabilities of their IT purchases can actually perform what the business requires, in the face of ever growing competition in the Market Place” he ends.

本地製造業的企業資源計劃 “電腦化”趋势慘淡

企業資源規劃（Enterprise Resource Planning，ERP）專科iContro揭示在馬來西亞和区域基於流程的製造商的最大挑戰

吉隆坡， 26日讯 -  iContro軟件有限公司（“iContro'），100％自產自銷的馬來西亞企業資源規劃系统供應商，今天分享了其最近对本地第二大的經濟体系製造業进行的調查，以揭发其现電腦化的状态。

李俊輝，iContro总监表示，儘管其他科技通信領域，如流动科技，电子媒體，大數據和雲端計算都有显著的進步，企業内最大的系统- 企業資源規劃（ERP）的升级仍然欠奇缺。

說明注：製造業一般分為兩種類型 - 過程和離散，即早期是非常複雜的，因為它涉及的產品，一旦產生就不能再被分解成它的組成部分。工藝製造的實例包括化學品，原料物質，石油和天然氣燃料，醫藥品和生物工程。

“由於本地基於過程的製造商占大部分，并不难假設，這是目前一個在國內最少自動化的行業，儘管它是馬來西亞頂級的經濟活動。”

iContro主宰油漆市场
在過去的18年内，iContro一直專注於開發和提供ERP系統的複雜業務。該公司今天提供了一整套跨部門的ERP解決方案，并保持當前在塗料製造业（這是基於流程的製造類）的霸主地位。

在馬來西亞大多數的塗料製造商今天使用iContro作為其ERP的选择 - 只是因為它的系统非常好，比其他在市場上的國際系统， 更能支持他們的利基業務的所有複雜性，“李俊輝表示.

“馬來西亞的ERP市場緩慢， 但正穩步地經歷著一場蛻變為企業審查其科技化的採購能力，實際上它能進行什麼樣的業務需要，以面对在市場上日益增長的競爭面前”，他結束。