Lattice Semiconductor Selects Microsoft Dynamics AX to Improve Supply-Chain Efficiency

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced that Lattice Semiconductor Corporation has chosen Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 for high-tech industries to accelerate business decision-making by replacing the production and financial capabilities of a dozen legacy and older enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications over time with Microsoft's single, integrated platform. Microsoft Dynamics AX is a comprehensive business management solution for midsize and larger organizations that helps improve efficiency, allows for better visibility into the entire organization, and reduces IT complexity.

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Lattice, headquartered in Hillsboro, Ore., is a $200 million fabless semiconductor company that makes programmable logic devices for everything from high-end digital cameras to major communications infrastructures. Lattice outsources its production to contract manufacturers around the world. The company operates six facilities in three countries, as well as in 20 sales offices globally. Lattice plans to integrate all its contractors and company sites with Microsoft Dynamics AX technology. Distributor and channel network representatives around the globe also will be able to view data and pull reports from Microsoft Dynamics AX, which incorporates the Microsoft Dynamics suite of applications.

"After evaluating three different ERP systems, we found that Microsoft Dynamics AX was the best fit for our international business model because it provides the improved functionality we need, the single platform architecture we were looking for, and a familiar business interface for all our global offices," said Clay Miller, corporate vice president of Shared Services and CIO at Lattice. "With 85 percent of our customers and 100 percent of our supply chain outside the United States, we needed a unified system that would more tightly control costs globally and that would easily grow as our company grows."

Through an enterprise agreement, Lattice will integrate its Microsoft Dynamics AX solution within all facets of its existing Microsoft framework. The company will augment its Microsoft Dynamics AX solution with high-tech modules developed by its IT services partner, Fullscope Inc., the 2009 Microsoft Dynamics Manufacturing Partner of the Year. Fullscope has implemented modules in a number of fabless semiconductor companies, and is tailoring the solution to meet the needs of Lattice to provide much-needed connectivity with its contract manufacturers.

Lattice expects to gain a number of business management benefits from integrating all its data into Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 and automating processes, including the following:

• Improved accuracy. With all its data in one single source of truth, the company, for the first time, will have a fully integrated information source — regardless of employee role or report type, information consistency is a certainty.
• Support for a global organization. With so many global contractors and international locations, Lattice expects to benefit from the scalability of its new, standardized platform. As the company grows, the data can be drawn from the same information base for any location. And Microsoft Dynamics AX provides a familiar Microsoft corporate interface that will make it easier for its global offices to get on board with the new system.
• Improved reporting. Automated reporting systems within Microsoft Dynamics AX provide Lattice with the ability to produce more than 500 reports directly from one system and data source. This means data will be available more rapidly to all managers, and reporting will benefit from having not just a single data source but much faster production as well.

"Succeeding in a global economy demands close coordination among international corporate facilities and manufacturing partners," said David Willis, corporate vice president for the U.S. Dynamics business at Microsoft. "Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is built for growing companies that need to scale their operations seamlessly to new geographies while relying on a single common database. Microsoft Dynamics AX enables a business to look more deeply into its supply chain and more intelligently into its decision-making."

About Lattice Semiconductor

Lattice, based in Hillsboro, Ore., is a $200 million global fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets programmable logic devices and related software. Programmable logic devices allow customers to determine — and change, if necessary — the chip's functionality, which enables design flexibility and quick response to change.

About Fullscope

Fullscope is an award-winning Microsoft Gold Certified Partner that focuses solely on Microsoft Dynamics AX enterprise manufacturing software. Headquartered in Athens, Ala., it also offers services from offices in California, Oregon, Georgia and Quebec and sales offices in four countries. Microsoft has honored Fullscope five times with top partnership awards.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of easy-to-use, integrated and adaptable ERP and CRM applications that enable business decision-makers to quickly respond to market shifts, take advantage of new trends, increase their competitive edge and drive business success. Microsoft Dynamics solutions are delivered through a world-class network of partners who provide specialized services and additional innovation to help customers excel in their industries.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.