At all times, it's important for us to know quantities on hand, what quantity is already committed to work orders or to production, what's available, what's on back order. For Winterco, the new system would help it maintain control over its entire manufacturing, sales and distribution process, from the sourcing of fabric and trim, and the management of work in progress, to effectively tracking inventory and implementing an allocation strategy. The conversion of Winterco's information system to the Apparel Associates business software began early in 1998 and was mostly completed by summer. In all areas, we're already seeing the benefits from automation. One of the key benefits of converting to a new system was the integration of data throughout all departments.
Information now follows the logical flow of garment production, from sourcing to accounting.
In the process, Winterco has eliminated data entry redundancies and has reduced the possibility of human error, while making internal operations more efficient. To assure quality control, management at Winterco sources all fabric and trim for its garment and allocates materials to its subcontractors. Therefore, in one database, Winterco monitors both its raw materials and component parts, its bill of materials for each garment, and its finished goods. With three primary lines which include more than 50 styles each, the variations of items to track could cause much confusion. Its own factory produces about half of its garments including the most technical pieces.