AkzoNobel Powder Coatings Chooses Quintiq Scheduler

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 27, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Quintiq, a leading provider of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) and supply chain optimization solutions, and the world's leading powder coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel Powder Coatings today announced that the Quintiq Scheduler solution has been selected to support production planning across all AkzoNobel Powder Coatings facilities in Europe.

The Quintiq solution will support AkzoNobel Powder Coatings in increasing its manufacturing productivity and improving delivery performance while reducing inventory levels throughout its European supply chain in a complex production environment.

AkzoNobel chose the Quintiq solution because of its proven ability to handle the highly complex planning associated with process and batch manufacturing, the production techniques employed in AkzoNobel's Powder Coatings facilities. "We really liked Quintiq's approach to planning and were impressed with the knowledge base of the people who demonstrated the production planning solution," commented Frank van Ooijen, Global Operations Director BU Powder Coatings at AkzoNobel.

Quintiq solution answers complexity and flexibility challenges

With rising production demands, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings realized it needed to better utilize its production potential.

The Quintiq team demonstrated the Scheduler's capabilities, showing how the solution can provide them with a complete overview of the entire Powder Coatings supply chain. Van Ooijen continues, "It was an effective proof of concept which showed us how the tool can help us shorten lead times and reduce inventory. We are enthusiastic about implementing the Quintiq Scheduler and look forward to benefiting from increased efficiencies."

Francois Eijgelshoven, Business Director at Quintiq, added: "The complex production processes of coatings manufacturers such as AkzoNobel require sophisticated planning solutions to reap the most from manufacturing capabilities - an ideal match for the capabilities of our Scheduler solution. We are delighted to have the largest global paints and coatings manufacturer as our first customer in the coatings market. We look forward to bringing our expertise to AkzoNobel's other business units, as well as to other coatings producers."

Central planning brings transparency, reduces inventory

The Quintiq Scheduler is designed to address tactical planning needs, helping to optimize the interactions between production capacities, raw materials, and customer orders, as well as manage day-to-day planning challenges. With an overview of the entire manufacturing process - from raw materials to finished goods, the Scheduler will enable the company's planners to optimally plan the manufacturing process to increase efficiency and reduce cleaning and setup times after running a batch.

With KPI-driven planning, AkzoNobel's managers will be able to foresee the effects of planning decisions on the entire supply chain, enabling more effective decision-making.

About AkzoNobel

AkzoNobel is the largest global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, Interpon, International and Eka.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are a Global Fortune 500 company and are consistently ranked as one of the leaders on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 55,000 people around the world are committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow's Answers Today™.

AkzoNobel Powder Coatings is the largest global manufacturer of powder coatings and a world leader in powder coatings technology, manufacturing at over 32 factories around the world. Powder coatings are used on everything from metal furniture and window frames, to radiators, pipes and cars and even wood and plastic. Powder coatings offer an attractive alternative to liquid coatings due to the fact that they are inherently sustainable - they contain no solvents and have application efficiency levels as high as 99 percent.

About Quintiq

With United States offices located in Philadelphia and San Francisco, Quintiq is a global leader in providing advanced planning, scheduling and supply chain management software solutions. This fast-growing company, established in 1997, offers and implements software for planning and optimizing complex business processes throughout the enterprise. The company's worldwide headquarters are located in the Netherlands and the United States with subsidiaries located in Australia, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Quintiq systems are implemented in 74 countries worldwide. U.S.-based clients include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), QVC, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Ferries Division (WSF). More at http://www.quintiq.com.

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SOURCE Quintiq