In the feature entitled, Unattended Concerns, Escape Velocity Systems (www.evs-sw.com) is profiled. In the current issue of Times Food Processing Journal, the article by manufacturing journalist TR Cutler, the author notes that, "The challenge for most fruit and vegetable manufacturers is that ingredients come out of the ground and can have various characteristics, while customers require the finished product to be consistent. To manage the variable characteristics of lots, ERP (enterprise resource planning) solutions must track lot attributes; few offer this capability. Typically, fruit and vegetable attributes are captured, such as Brix percent solids, pH/acidity and other similar characteristics.
When a lot is issued to a production batch, systems such as Escape Velocity Systems calculate the expected chemistry of the finished product and compare it to the specifications defined for the finished good. If the batch is out of the required specifications, the system warns the production manager. Purchasing citrus in the citrus industry, most juicers do not purchase pounds, gallons or tons of fruit. Instead, they purchase 'pound solids'. Essentially juicers purchase the sugar that is in the fruit, not the water content. Sometimes a trailer of oranges can be 5,000 lb solids and sometimes the same volume can be 4,000 lb solids if the fruit has more water and less sugar. The difficult part comes when the beverage manufacturers will issue the fruit into a batch by weight or volume. The relationship from pound solids to weight or volume is not a linear relationship. Therefore, the technology solution must have the capacity to facilitate multiple, non-related units of measure on a lot basis. The O2 system, by Escape Velocity Systems (EVS), is one of the very few technologies, which provide this capability for juicers. Customer/Item specification "Many times a customer will have specifications for a juice that is different than the company's specification for the product. For example, while the company manufactures orange juice with about 30-40 per cent solids, a client may require that the orange juice that they get should be with 37- 40 per cent solids. ERP solutions must allow a fruit beverage company to manufacture as per the company's specification, the customer's specification or when picking for a sales order, perform a 'best-fit' of existing products to meet the customer's requirement," said Evan Garber, President of EVS. The entire article may be read at http://trcutlerinc.com/Times%20Food%20Processing%20Journal%20July%202007.pdf.
Escape Velocity Systems (EVS) was formed in 2001 to combine specific industry knowledge related to process manufacturing, distribution, and ERP implementations with cutting edge software development. The company focus is to create tools that enable mid-market enterprises to achieve their goals, focusing on lean processes and ROI. According to President Evan Garber, "We realize that good ERP software is the hub of information in any process manufacturing enterprise. Timely, reliable, and centralized data are non-negotiable elements for businesses competing in the 21st century."
The term escape velocity refers to the speed that is necessary for an object to overcome gravity and soar into space. EVS provides direct applications for businesses looking for a catalyst, not just a software package. Process manufacturers require the best software solution coupled with industry experience that will accelerate the velocity with which they race towards their goals. The gravity of status-quo opposes aggressive, cutting edge organizations as they strive towards high quality and short lead time delivery while reducing inventories and operating costs.
