Concord software 'keeps the operation running'

-- Converting Magazine, 12/1/2000

When asked whether Coating Excellence Intl. (CEI) is aiming for a paperless environment via high-tech software, chief executive officer Mike Nowak responds, "No, we like paper. I make the wrap for paper. When you get a fax, make 10 copies."

Nowak's fondness for paper is understandable, as paper is his business, but Concord Business Systems, Inc.'s (Kennesaw, Ga.) production and financial software helps him manage the company. The Windowse-based Converting Management System was chosen by CEI for its touchscreen and bar-code data collection abilities. In real-time, the software accurately and quickly captures production data, enabling Coating Excellence to track inventory and reduce waste.

Software utilization begins with a receiving person, who scans bar-codes and enters weights of paper rolls into the touchscreen system. When the rolls are ready for production, the crew removes and rescans the bar codes as being used. The employee then reports product completion and a new bar code automatically generates. All information simultaneously feeds into the accounting system.

"It's a complete package that keeps the operation running," Nowak says. "For every run, we know what rolls went on, their weight and what rolls came off. So, we can see the amount of pounds used, the amount that came off and then get waste to that level."

As for software training, the touchscreen system is simple for operators, but slightly more complex for office employees, according to Nowak: "The office pieces require more training because there is so much data. But, for the guys on the floor who need to get trained quickly, it's very simple."