Microsoft Corp. unveiled a new strategic approach to manufacturing at National Manufacturing Week, held March 7-10 in Chicago. Called the “Peak Performance Initiative,” the collaboration between Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., and more than 20 of its partners delivers solutions in four main areas: new product development, plant floor operations, global value chain, and sales and customer performance.
Charles Johnson, worldwide managing director of manufacturing at Microsoft, says the initiative was developed based on extensive feedback from Microsoft users and partners. “We want to help our manufacturing customers accelerate insight into their businesses, empower and enable innovation, achieve real-time collaboration and reach peak performance,” says Johnson.
The initiative employs Microsoft key technologies, such as the .Net framework, Microsoft Office, SQL Server and SharePoint portal server, to deliver the communication and collaboration tools needed by manufacturers, according to Johnson. “We then work with ISV (independent software vendor) and SI (system integrator) partners that have the industry knowledge and expertise to deliver specific, targeted solutions that address these challenges.”
The partner companies that are part of this initiative include ABB, Actify, Activplant Corp., Aspen Technology Inc., AWS, Capgemini, CoCreate Software Inc., Dassault Systemes, eBots Inc., Formation Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Invensys, Marathon Technologies Corp., PTC, Rockwell Automation Inc., Schlumberger, Siemens, The Orlando Software Group Inc. (OSGI), 3M IPT, UGS Corp. and Unisys.
