Leading Metals, Wire & Cable Companies Attend AXIS User Conference

Attendees Discuss Industry Best Practices, Share Implementation Experiences, and Learn About New AXIOM Software Features

Representatives from metals producers, processors, and service centers, and wire & cable manufacturers from across North America gathered at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia this week for the annual AXIS User Symposium. Attendees were all users of the AXIOM enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution developed and supported by AXIS Computer Systems, Inc. (AXIS). The event is organized jointly by AXIS and the AXIS User Society (AX-US), an independent organization of companies that employ the AXIOM software.

AXIOM is the most widely used ERP solution in the wire and cable industry, and one of the most widely deployed ERP solutions in the metals producing, processing, and service center industry.

AXIS is a business unit of Made2Manage Systems, Inc.

A cross-section of the metals and wire & cable industries

Attendance at this year’s conference represented a cross-section of the AXIS customer base, with companies ranging in size from relatively small, family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. Representatives from companies such as AK Tube, Aluminum Line Products, C&M Corporation, Carpenter Technology, Copperfield, ECD, Fisk Alloy Wire, Homogenous Metals Inc., Harbour Industries, Johnstown Wire Technologies, iMetals, James Monroe Wire & Cable, Krueger Steel and Wire, Northwire, Ohio Coatings, Perryman Company, Plymouth Tube, PMX Industries, Rockbestos Suprenant, Sharon Tube, Special Metals, Superior Essex, Standard Steel, Stripco, Times Fiber Communications, Uniti Titanium, Universal Stainless, WireTech, Ziereck Manufacturing, and others met to discuss industry issues, learn about new software features, and share experiences through presentations, panel discussions, and networking events.

Special Interest Group (SIG) sessions were also held during the conference focused on individual industry segments as well as various functions such as sales, finance, manufacturing, etc.

Although companies represented at the conference ranged from primary producers to a wide range of tube, pipe, bar, wire, and specialty product producers, steel and aluminum service centers, and cable manufacturers, attendees had much in common as part of the overall metals supply chain. “The AXIS conference is a special annual event for us,” stated one attendee. “Every company here has similar challenges, so we all gain a lot of insight from talking with each other about the things we are each doing to improve our businesses with the AXIS software.”

A wide range of related solutions and services

AXIS solution and service partners, and other solution providers such as Bravepoint, Data-Solve, Decision Resources Inc., Prism Software, Progress Software, and The SMS Group were also in attendance, presenting a number of 3rd party solutions integrated with AXIOM to provide specialized capabilities like RF data collection, XML transaction import/export, reporting/analysis, web-based customer service, and more.

AXIS, AXIOM users, and AXIS partners also ran sessions on topics such as Sarbanes Oxley compliance, eCommerce, the use of NCRs in quality management, material planning, inventory valuation, slitting operations, scale integration, rapid closing procedures, subcontract management, production statusing, MRP, wire and cable production management, and order lead-time promising. Technical topics included: data archiving, business continuity planning, performance tuning, and other system administration issues.

AXIS demonstrated a host of new software features available in releases 5.1 and 5.2 of the AXIOM Enterprise Management System. New capabilities reviewed included: Dynamic Order Fulfillment (attribute-based order-entry and pricing; dynamic routing, customer instructions, and commercial description generation; and sales history by attribute), and significant enhancements to AXIOM capabilities for: eCommerce, freight calculations, and actual costing.

With AXIS becoming a business unit of Made2Manage Systems, Inc. over the past year, many attendees were interested to hear Made2Manage Systems executives describe the company’s organizational approach and vision. New tools under development such as the M2M Expert for AXIS support web site were also reviewed.

The AX-US Board was elected for the coming year. Companies represented on the Board include: Aluminum Line Products Company (ALPCO), Dynamet, Gibraltar Industries, Harbour Industries, Nelsen Steel, The Perryman Company, Special Metals, Stripco, Superior Essex, and Ziereck Manufacturing.

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