WALTHAM, MA, May 3, 2004 – Avicon, architects of the new supply chain announced today that premier audio systems manufacturer, Boston Acoustics has utilized its Supply Chain DNA framework to electronically integrate with a big three automotive OEM and its trading partners.
In addition Boston Acoustics and Avicon developed an open architectural design and re-engineered business processes that provided a web enabled and Oracle based visibility and event management tool to ensure flawless order fulfillment and optimized cash flow across all its trading partners.
In order to support a new line of business that required daily product fulfillment, Boston Acoustics needed to electronically integrate with an automotive OEM and its trading partners. A turn-key solution was needed which would include additional automation of the company’s payables and invoicing processes which are based on electronic shipping notices. Complete automation of the financial process will enable faster cash cycle times. In addition, a real-time trading partner performance monitoring system was implemented to provide pro-active event management of the supply chain to improve supply chain performance and speed up logistics response time.
“For our expansion into a new automotive OEM vertical market, we teamed with Avicon, whose expertise and capabilities complimented our own. Together, based on our unique needs and Avicon’s PICO™ methodology, we developed new business processes and built an open architectural design that exceeded OEM supplier supply chain requirements and provided a platform to expand upon,” said Debra Ricker, Vice President-Finance. “In addition, Avicon facilitated the selection of the most optimal EDI service provider that became instrumental in achieving automotive certification requirements.”
Employing Avicon’s Supply Chain DNA approach which focuses on Process, Information, Cash and Organization (PICO), Avicon and Boston Acoustics identified new business requirements. Then they developed adjusted business processes, refined the IT operational architecture, and reformulated accounting process flows for payables and receivables.
“As a strategic advisor we assisted Boston Acoustics through a very complex and inflexible automotive supply chain environment. In a collaborative environment, we built a fast response supply chain that met Boston Acoustics stringent automotive OEM requirements,” said Mark Holmes, director of Avicon’s Logistics Practice. “With real time data visibility and event management to shipments as well as forecast and daily demand in a performance scorecard format, Boston Acoustics is in a position to re-define supplier responsiveness and continuous improvement.”
