MRP/ERP for advanced low temperature technology

OpenMFG has announced its long-planned expansion into the European market with the appointment of a master partner for the United Kingdom and the signing of the company's first customer.

OpenMFG, provider of open source-based enterprise solutions for small manufacturers and distributors, has announced its long-planned expansion into the European market with the appointment of a master partner for the United Kingdom and the signing of the company's first customer in the UK.

The first customer is Cambridge Magnetic Refrigeration (CMR), a startup that has successfully commercialised advanced low temperature technology from research at the University of Cambridge.

CMR's Managing Director, Dr Kurt Haselwimmer, conducted an exhaustive search for an ERP system that would enable his business to scale up its manufacturing operations in a cost-effective manner, and also allow CMR's information technology group maximum flexibility.

"OpenMFG gives us advanced MRP/ERP functionality that would typically be out of reach for a company our size," he notes.

"And the product runs on Apple Macs, as well as Linux and Windows, so we can leverage all of our existing technology infrastructure." Assisting CMR in the OpenMFG implementation will be Richmond-based Software Add-ons, a nationwide supplier of Internet, extranet and groupware software solutions for business.

Software Add-Ons has deep experience in developing add-on solutions for leading accounting, CRM, and ERP software, and markets its own open source-based CRM solution.

In addition to providing customer assistance, Software Add-ons will be adding support for European Value-Added Tax (VAT) functionality, into both the purchasing and sales modules of OpenMFG.

The VAT functionality, along with full muti-currency capability and several other major features, will be a highlight of an upcoming OpenMFG release this autumn.

OpenMFG's flagship product is an advanced ERP software solution built with open source components, such as the Linux operating system, the PostgreSQL database, and the OpenRPT report writer.

Available OpenMFG modules include Inventory Management, Product Definition and Costing, Work Order Management, Master Scheduling and MRP, Capacity Planning, Purchase Order Management, Sales Order Management, Shipping and Receiving, Sales Analysis, Project Management, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and a full General Ledger.

Under OpenMFG's innovative hybrid license, customers and partners have full access to the application source code, and any enhancements made to the product flow back to OpenMFG for review, quality testing, and possible incorporation into the baseline product.

OpenMFG cuts against the grain of traditional ERP in other ways besides its hybrid licensing approach.

The company has always published its pricing on the website, and the full details of a new pricing plan are now online.

Customers can choose between a traditional perpetual license or a subscription-style annual license.

The OpenMFG website even offers an online pricing calculator tool, to let users compare the three plans with different numbers of users, considered over various time horizons.

"We are delighted to welcome Software Add-ons into our partner community," said Ned Lilly, OpenMFG president and CEO.

"We are very impressed with their overall business software acumen, and there is a strong alignment in our visions of how open source can make sophisticated software affordable and accessible to small to midsized companies, not just in the U.K., but across Europe and the rest of the world." "This is a very exciting time in our company," said Graham Anderson, of Software Add-ons.

"We make it our policy to work with great companies and great products; we get both with our partnership with OpenMFG.

Given our unique history in both commercially licensed enterprise software and open source applications, we believe we can add great value to the OpenMFG community.".

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