Aerospace & Audio Products Manufacturer Improves Accuracy and Traceability with Lilly Software's VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based Solution.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

HAMPTON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 2, 2003

Projects Unlimited, Inc. (PUI), a leading developer, manufacturer, and supplier of buzzer and audio indicator technology, recently went live with VISUAL DCMS(TM) Paper-Based, Lilly Software's new warehousing solution for smaller distributors. The company, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, also integrated VISUAL Enterprise(TM) with the VISUAL CRM(TM) functionality to manage orders and customer communications and has experienced immediate results.

Lilly Software developed VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based specifically for companies that maintain simple work flows and perform manual routing. It is a cost-effective alternative for smaller distributors who would like to take advantage of many of the features in Lilly's standard Radio Frequency- (RF-) enabled Warehouse Management System, VISUAL DCMS(TM), but need to avoid the standard expense associated with RF barcode scanning solutions. With this system, PUI gained the tools necessary to automate operations and track inventory within locations.

"We are seeing significant benefits in order and inventory accuracy and in improved traceability," says Cyndie Weisenbarger, Operations Manager at PUI. "This helps us increase our productivity and avoid time-consuming searches for parts. We use license plate numbers to follow the product throughout the warehouse, from receiving to Quality Control to the shelf and back out to customers. With all the data in one system, we can now easily handle returns or quickly trace a lot from the vendor. Our picking accuracy has improved, our locations are defined, and we know our counts are correct."

Before implementing VISUAL(R), PUI had been using an ERP system that was not distribution center oriented. In its 52 years of business, the company has served many markets. Several of its primary customers are in healthcare, where it offers products for glucose monitors and pain medication dispensers. It operates two divisions: Aerospace & Electronics and Audio Products. ISO 9001 and AS9100 certified, PUI is committed to providing the highest level of customer satisfaction, which is why it needed a solution to handle its growth and ensure continuous improvement and top quality.

The Aerospace & Electronics division had already been using VISUAL Enterprise for several years, and it was happy with the tools and support from Lilly Software. After a three month search, PUI decided to extend its relationship with Lilly and purchased VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based and VISUAL Enterprise for the Audio Products division in December 2002.

"We knew our Aerospace & Electronics division was happy with the application and Lilly Software has a history of being responsive to the needs of distributors," says Bob Welton, IS Manager, PUI. "We needed a system that would run on Oracle, and VISUAL DCMS fit our distribution requirements. Implementation went smoothly. Our employees worked hard and we couldn't ask for better cooperation between Lilly support and PUI."

With the customer relationship and order management features in VISUAL Enterprise, PUI can view and analyze every task in the system. It tracks customer information and histories and maintains an audit trail of activities. VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based offers the company a comprehensive DC Task Manager window to control and monitor its warehouse and labor and efficiently maintain location-level inventory accuracy. PUI now plans, organizes, and assigns operational work using VISUAL. With the graphical DC Scheduler and DC Window, the company monitors all inbound, putaway, and outbound transactions. The inventory control tools in VISUAL DCMS help them manage replenishment, cycle counting, and physical inventory.

Weisenbarger explains: "We have better overall visibility into the status of the stock. We also have reliable numbers about on-hand and on-location inventory and more controls for user security. In the front office, we use the order management and customer service features to process orders from receipt to final shipping. We use DCMS to track all inbound and outbound activities and put inventory on hold for Quality Control. We could never do this before."

PUI is focused on the future and on delivering products on-time and at the best price. VISUAL helps the company meet these goals by providing the tools to organize critical data, verify orders, and manage customers and vendors. It is prepared to handle increased volume without having to add labor or sacrifice quality service.

"I see VISUAL remaining a valuable tool to Projects Unlimited for the long term," says Welton. "Lilly Software continues to develop and enhance its product(s) into a major solution that encompasses the enterprise and warehouse needs of distributors like Projects Unlimited. We are prepared for greater volumes, which is going to be our number one competitive advantage. We wanted high speed order entry in the front office and high speed shipping in the back end. We are positioning ourselves to lead the marketplace and VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based is supporting our achievements."

VISUAL DCMS Paper-Based is available now from Lilly Software Associates.