The Level3 blog is a venue to discuss a variety of topics relevant to manufacturers, including: Workflow Automation, Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Systems Integration.  Content will cover the integration of data from the ‘shop floor’ up; including Historians, reporting, IT Topics and SCADA systems.  The Level3 blog comes to Savigent with its creator Jimmy Asher, formerly of Avid Solutions, Inc.

Jimmy Asher, an architect and engagement manager with Savigent, commented, “We are excited to announce the continuation of the Level3 blog.  It is an exceptional venue for Savigent to share thought provoking insights and perspectives on topics that are relevant to manufacturers.”  The Level3 blog can be found at savigent.blogspot.com, or via direct links from the Savigent website savigent.com.

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.  Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/savigent.

MINNETONKA, Minn. – Savigent Software, Inc., the Minnetonka-based company specializing in event-driven manufacturing operations management software, announced today the release of Catalyst xM™ version 2.5. The new version delivers significant enhancements to the software – most notably the incorporation of Open Data Protocol (OData) support and enhanced server functionality for distributed data center and private cloud deployments.

Catalyst xM™ is a part of Savigent’s expanding Catalyst™ suite of software products. Specifically, Catalyst xM™ delivers a controlled system for workflow automation, providing manufacturers with guaranteed compliance, unparalleled traceability and rich manufacturing intelligence.

The enhancements present in Catalyst xM™ version 2.5 provide users with significantly increased functionality, flexibility and simplicity. The addition of Open Data Protocol support provides easy access to the Catalyst xM™ workflow execution history from a variety of off-the-shelf data mining and business intelligence tools. Based on standard web protocols, OData is an ideal choice to expose manufacturing intelligence from Catalyst xM™ to browser-based and mobile clients. The Catalyst xM™ Server Manager now provides a Data Source Builder which allows users to configure virtual tables that are created dynamically to provide data access via the Open Data Protocol. A demonstration of Catalyst xM™ OData Services can be viewed on Savigent’s YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/Savigent).

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, remarked, “We are delighted with the operational benefits that our customers are realizing with Catalyst xM™ and the broad range of applications we are able to address using workflow automation. The addition of OData Services dramatically simplifies data mining within Catalyst xM™ and puts a wealth of manufacturing intelligence at the fingertips of users through easily accessible tools like Microsoft Excel.”

Implementations of Catalyst xM™ have been completed for multiple customers in a variety of industries, including the food and beverage, contract manufacturing, semiconductor, aerospace and defense, and specialty chemical sectors, noted Mellen.

David Wicker, company CEO, said, “Catalyst xM™ has proven again and again to be a world-class product for delivering a highly controlled electronic system for the automation of workflow – providing our clients with a more powerful, more flexible tool to help them produce products more efficiently, effectively and economically. Version 2.5, in addition to enhancing access to manufacturing intelligence through OData Services, enables a broad range of deployment options for customers pursuing enterprise wide workflow automation solutions in data centers and private clouds.”

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/savigent.

“We’re delighted to have been chosen by Microsoft to participate in the High Potential ISV Group,” said David P. Wicker, Savigent Software CEO.  “We consider this recognition by Microsoft to be further confirmation that both customers as well as major vendors are recognizing Savigent as a thought leader in our market segment and among Microsoft solution partners.  Our focus remains on providing our customers with the software and services they need to produce their products more efficiently, effectively and economically.”

Microsoft’s High Potential Managed ISV Partners are chosen based on strict selection criteria. They must be fast growing ISVs with an established track record of success working closely with Microsoft.  This program makes available Microsoft resources aimed at helping Savigent and other ISVs accelerate the adoption of their solutions in the marketplace.

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, remarked, “This new strategic relationship with Microsoft will help us increase our speed to market, promote and co-market our solutions, and further position Savigent among Microsoft partners.  Our new status as a High Potential ISV within Microsoft’s Managed Partner Program is another proof point demonstrating our commitment to the .NET platform and key Microsoft products such as Server, SQL and SharePoint.”

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.  Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/savigent.

MINNETONKA, MINN. – Savigent Software, Inc., the Minnetonka-based company specializing in event-driven manufacturing operations management software, announced today that it has published four new case studies related to its implementation of Catalyst xM™ at one of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers.

Catalyst xM™ is the comprehensive, integrated workflow automation system implemented within the company’s semiconductor fabrication plants globally and is central to the company’s factory control strategy.  The case studies highlight the company’s factory control strategy and the role workflow automation plays in enabling its success.  They provide examples of the application of workflow automation in the manufacturing environment to address issues indigenous to manufacturers in many markets.  Specific examples within the case studies focus on the use of workflow automation to automate:

• Out-of-control Action Plans (OCAPS) – enabling the transition away from paper-based procedures while optimizing and standardizing responses to critical manufacturing events
• Request Systems – orchestrating and optimizing largely people-based processes to improve execution and efficiency
• Equipment Management – providing compliant and traceable execution to improve equipment downtime and improved conformance to standard operating procedures

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, remarked, “We’ve had a longstanding, strategic relationship with one of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers.  They were integral in our development of and were the first customer for Catalyst xM™.  We’re excited to share their experiences through these case studies.  The results are clear – workflow automation yields significant operational efficiencies and financial returns.”

The case studies can be found on Savigent’s web site at http://savigent.com/casestudies/.

About Savigent

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/savigent.

MINNETONKA, MINN. – Savigent Software, Inc., the Minnetonka-based company specializing in event-driven manufacturing operations management software, announced today that it will be presenting with two customers at the 2011 MESA International North American Conference.

The conference, a meeting of manufacturers, producers, industry leaders and solution providers, will be held September 19 to 21 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. Themed “Cloudy with a Chance for Profits,” the conference will provide attendees with a forum to network and discuss real-world experiences and challenges when it comes to achieving real-time operational excellence. Accomplished author and consultant Michael McMillan will share his unique insights on creative thinking, innovation and positive change as the keynote speaker.

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, will be presenting on behalf of Savigent.  “Our presentations focus on the application and benefits of workflow automation in the manufacturing environment,” said Mellen.  “Our customers will provide an account of their experiences, with perspectives on manufacturing strategies and use cases where workflow automation yielded significant operational efficiencies and financial returns.  We’re excited to participate in this year’s conference and support the initiatives of MESA International.”

“In order to remain competitive in the global economy, manufacturers need to improve productivity and drive profitability,” says John Southcott, chair, MESA International. “The North American Conference provides a platform for the discussion, collaboration and insight necessary to improve operations management and succeed in this rapidly changing economy.”

In conjunction with the conference, MESA International will offer an enterprise cloud workshop for no additional fee. The workshop will give attendees the opportunity to discuss cloud computing in the industrial workspace and better understand how to assess risks and benefits associated with moving applications to the cloud. Global Education Program classes also will be available September 22 and 23 for an additional fee.

This year’s conference details are available online at http://conference.mesa.org.

About Savigent

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/savigent.

About MESA

MESA International is a global community of manufacturers, producers, industry leaders and solution providers focused on improving Operations Management capabilities through the effective application of technology solutions and best practices. The organization collects, shares and publishes best practices and guidance to drive greater productivity and the overall profitability of the manufacturing enterprise; facilitates innovation and collaboration to enable the real-time enterprise and Plant to Enterprise integration; and enables members to connect, contribute, cultivate understanding, and exchange strategies to drive operations excellence. For more than a decade, MESA has been a premier venue for the manufacturing community to share and create unbiased information on the topic of solving business issues with technology.  For more information about MESA, visit www.mesa.org or follow MESA International on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mesap2e.

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, said, “MESA has been a great resource for Savigent and we appreciate the opportunity to host the MESA GEP program this September.  This MESA and GEP committee initiative is an invaluable resource to the industry, providing attendees with the tools they need to achieve superior results from their MES/MOM projects.”

MES/MOM** professionals can earn Certificates of Awareness and Certificates of Competency from MESA by completing classroom study and attaining the necessary test scores for both in-course and out-of-course testing.  These professionals will gain insight and expert knowledge of the key methodologies and business functions applicable to MES/MOM systems and earn the right to use the MESA GEP logo, a mark-of-distinction recognizing their commitment to the MES/MOM arena.

Mike James, Chairman of the MESA Education Committee welcomed Savigent’s support in a personal statement. “MESA is providing this global education program to manufacturers, system integrators, solution providers and consultants around the world. This cross-industry learning platform is ideal for sharing knowledge, views and best practices and embedding the knowledge required for successful MES/MOM implementations. Savigent’s endorsement is important to MESA and further evidence of the widespread industry need and support for the program.”

For more information, contact your Savigent representative or visit www.mesa.org/educationprogram or the program links below.

• MESA Certificate of Competency (CoC) for MES/MOM Methodologies – a 4-day, comprehensive program of MES/MOM Methodologies courses aimed at Systems Analysts, Architects, Programmers, Project Managers and Consultants.
• MESA Certificate of Awareness (CoA) for MES/MOM Business Awareness – a 2-day, high-level program of MES/MOM Business Functions courses geared for executives, manufacturing/operations and IT personnel and sales professionals.

*MESA = Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association
**MES/MOM = Manufacturing Execution Systems / Manufacturing Operations Management

About Savigent

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/savigent.

Savigent implemented Catalyst xM™ at Logic PD’s Eden Prairie, Minnesota manufacturing facility, providing Logic PD with the ability to fully automate execution and electronic record management of its box-build processes, as well as the ability to collect key manufacturing intelligence related to manufacturing operations. Catalyst xM™ provides complete compliance to and full traceability of all production processes, ensuring all integration, testing and packaging procedures are performed properly with complete visibility into process and product genealogy.

Jay Mellen, Savigent’s executive vice president of business development, said, “We are excited to announce the completion of this implementation and the release of a new Case Study specifically focused on the work we have done with Logic PD. Our work, together with the exceptional group of individuals at Logic PD, demonstrates the flexibility and benefits of the Catalyst xM™ in the contract manufacturing environment.”

“Catalyst xM brought us a workflow management engine, which keeps us ahead of the curve in terms of technology,” says Dan Latvala, IT director at Logic PD. “Having a fully featured platform for workflow helps streamline operations. Comments on the shop floor have been universally positive.”

David Wicker, Savigent’s CEO, said, “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Catalyst xM™ to a world-class product developer and manufacturer like Logic PD. We’re confident Catalyst xM™ – and our outstanding team standing behind it – will make it possible for Logic PD to realize significant manufacturing efficiencies through workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration solutions. At the end of the day, we’re here to help Logic PD and our other customers produce products more efficiently, effectively and economically.”

Logic PD offers innovative product solutions for all phases of a product’s lifecycle, from product design, development and engineering to manufacturing services. Logic PD is a leading developer and a global supplier of System on Modules (SOMs) and development kits. Offering unparalleled partnerships with access to key technologies, Logic PD enables customers to control costs, reduce risks and deliver products to market sooner.

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

More information about Savigent Software can be found at savigent.com.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Savigent Software, Inc., the Minnetonka-based company specializing in event-driven manufacturing operations management software, announced today that it has been included in the list of Cool Vendors in the “Cool Vendors in Manufacturing Operations, 2011” report by Gartner, Inc. The report is authored by Gartner Analysts Simon F. Jacobson and Leif Eriksen.

“We’re delighted to have been selected as one of five companies profiled in the Manufacturing Operations Cool Vendors report by Gartner,” said David P. Wicker, Savigent Software CEO. “We consider this recognition by Gartner to be further confirmation that we are remaining innovative and forward-thinking on behalf of our customers. Our focus remains on providing our customers with the software and services they need to produce their products more efficiently, effectively and economically.”

Gartner defines a cool vendor as a company that offers innovative, impactful and intriguing technologies or solutions. They are companies whose products enable users to do things they couldn’t do before, have real business impact – as opposed to simply offering technology for the sake of technology – and have caught Gartner’s interest or curiosity in the past six months.

Wicker continued, “For us, being named to Gartner’s ‘Cool Vendor’ report also further confirms the tremendous traction that our Catalyst™ suite of products has realized in the marketplace. It is a further demonstration of our commitment to providing world-class software products that deliver significant return on investment to our customers,” he said.  Savigent’s Catalyst™ suite of products provides customers with a comprehensive manufacturing operations management platform. Featuring open connectivity, Catalyst™ is highly configurable and is built on a common, distributable event-driven platform.

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

About Gartner’s Cool Vendors Selection Process

Gartner’s listing does not constitute an exhaustive list of vendors in any given technology area, but rather is designed to highlight interesting, new and innovative vendors, products and services. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness of a particular purpose.

Gartner defines a cool vendor as a company that offers technologies or solutions that are: Innovative, enable users to do things they couldn’t do before; Impactful, have, or will have, business impact (not just technology for the sake of technology); Intriguing, have caught Gartner’s interest or curiosity in approximately the past six months.

The name Savigent was developed by combining the words “savvy” and “intelligent,” according to Savigent Chief Executive Officer David P.Wicker. “In helping our customers realize increased operational efficiencies, gain agile control of manufacturing assets and develop enhanced process control, we create savvy and intelligent solutions that lead to improved quality and profitability,” Wicker explained. “And while we provide a wide range of services to implement our solutions, as a software development company we felt it was important to have ‘software’ as part of our name,” he said.

With the new name, Savigent Software will continue to offer customers a proven comprehensive manufacturing operations platform that delivers flexible software solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration. “We remain an experienced business partner that knows and understands the manufacturing environment and can deliver significant return on investment. At the end of the day, we make it possible for our customers to manufacture their products more efficiently, effectively and economically,” Wicker said.

Savigent Software is known for its Catalyst™ suite of products that provide customers with a comprehensive manufacturing operations management platform. Featuring open connectivity, Catalyst is highly configurable and is built on a common, distributable event-driven platform.

Founded in 1994, Savigent Software (formerly As One Technologies) has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, consumer packaged goods, and aerospace and defense. Customers served by Savigent are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provide solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.

The HallStar Company knows about building out functionality. Based in downtown Chicago, with its principal manufacturing and technical center just west of the city’s Midway International Airport, HallStar has been manufacturing specialty chemicals for over 50 years. Today, it is one of the world’s experts in the development and formulation of esters for the polymer and personal care markets.

The system implemented at Hallstar provides the ability to fully automate batch execution and electronic batch record management as well as the ability to collect key manufacturing intelligence related to plant asset management. Catalyst xM™ executes batch production recipes, manages unit operations and automates standard operating procedures that make up the batch manufacturing process. Catalyst PDC™ is incorporated to capture key process indicators and production tracking information.

Founded in 1994, As One Technologies, Inc., has pioneered a new class of event-driven manufacturing operations management software. The company currently serves manufacturers in a variety of industries including the automotive, semiconductor, industrial, specialty chemical, and aerospace and defense sectors. Clients served by As One are seeking increased efficiencies, agile control of manufacturing assets, and improved process control and product quality. The company also serves OEMs and independent software vendors by providing value-added software solutions for their products. Its Catalyst™ suite of products provides solutions for workflow automation, manufacturing intelligence and systems integration.