CHICAGO (October 01, 2009) – Ceradyne Inc., a worldwide leader in the development and production of advanced technical ceramics, and a long-standing Kronos® Incorporated customer, has completed its upgrade to version 6.1 of the Kronos Workforce Central® suite. Ceradyne is one of nearly 200 customers to go live on the latest version of Workforce Central in the seven months since the product became available.
News Facts
* An existing user of the Kronos time and attendance and labor activities solutions, Ceradyne upgraded to the latest version of Kronos to collect and manage machine utilization data and related labor and material data together in one integrated solution.
* The new version is enhancing Ceradyne’s lean manufacturing practices while positively impacting employee morale through complete automation of critical workforce business processes, high-quality information, and ease-of-use enhancements.
* Traditionally handled as distinct disciplines, the combined view of reconciled labor and machine utilization enables shop floor managers to identify and resolve bottlenecks in real time, resulting in higher levels of productivity.
* Many existing ERP or MES systems collect and batch machine performance information and provide reporting on the results a week or two later. Ceradyne uses Kronos to fill this gap left by SAP, its ERP vendor.
* Kronos helps Ceradyne control labor costs, minimize compliance risk, and improve workforce productivity by standardizing processes, reconciling labor hours to hours paid, and eliminating buddy punching across locations in China and the U.S.
Supporting Quotes
* Jerry Pellizzon, chief financial officer, Ceradyne
“Kronos continues to be an excellent tool we utilize to improve the efficiency on a real time basis for managing our production groups at many different locations. The key result is that we continue to experience improvement and growth in productivity and the reduction of our costs. Kronos together with our rollout of SAP form an integral information tool that gives our management team the ability to make better and quicker decisions; resulting in growing efficiencies that are demanded by all areas of our business. We welcome the increased capabilities it brings to our business.”
* Mark Nguyen, information technology project manager, Ceradyne
“SAP is good at managing materials, but Kronos is the expert at managing people and can provide accountability regarding where every labor dollar is spent. With Kronos, we don’t experience delays with tracking and recording labor data, which leads to better decision making for HR and senior management. The new resource tracking capability will further improve throughput, labor cost performance, and on-time delivery.”
* Gregg Gordon, senior director of manufacturing industry marketing, Kronos
“Many manufacturers focus on driving out cost through inventory reductions and automating production. But a third resource, the workforce, can also provide an area for improving effectiveness. Through gains in labor utilization, performance and quality, Ceradyne is an example of a progressive manufacturer that controls labor costs and enhances productivity.”
Source: Kronos