Microsoft invests in lean manufacturing module

Microsoft Gold partner's technology snapped up by software giant

Microsoft has acquired the lean manufacturing module of one of its Gold certified partners.

eBECS's Lean Enterprise for Microsoft Dynamics AX enables manufacturing customers to optimise processes and connect and integrate the entire supply chain, from the customer to the supply partners. Under the deal it will form part of the Microsoft Dynamics Industry Solution for Lean Enterprises and will be available to customers as a separate module as part of the Advanced Management Enterprise offering within Microsoft Dynamics Business Ready Licensing by the end of 2007.

Kevin Hall, managing director of eBECS, said: “This is the culmination of several years’ effort; it is a recognition by Microsoft of the quality of functionality developed by eBECS and is testament to the power of the Microsoft partner base in being able to deliver truly relevant industry solutions. We believe Lean Enterprise is the first fully integrated software solution that takes ERP into the lean world across the entire supply chain.”

The acquisition is part of a major investment Microsoft has made across five industries – manufacturing, distribution, retail, services and public sector.

Tami Reller, corporate vice president, Business Solutions Marketing Group at Microsoft, said: “We continue to deliver software that is industry-relevant. With deep investments in five targeted industries combined with an extremely broad ecosystem of more than 3,000 ISV solutions, customers can get industry solutions that support their business vision, and partners get a richer platform on which to build.”