White Paper '7 Key Points to Successfully Operate a Production Management System' Now Available for Free

SimTops Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kazuyuki Okuhata), provider of DIRECTOR6 — a production scheduler and production management system specialized for made-to-order manufacturing — has released a free white paper titled '7 Key Points to Successfully Operate a Production Management System.' This document outlines seven critical success factors identified through analysis of pioneering companies that successfully implemented the system and achieved remarkable results.

Download the white paper here

Overview of the Document

7 Key Points to Successfully Operate a Production Management System

— What You Need to Know to Prevent 'Not Being Used on the Shop Floor'

When considering a production management system, significant time is often spent on 'which system to choose.'

However, most post-implementation issues stem not from 'selection' but from 'execution approach.'

- Workers resist data entry, leading to poor data collection

- Only managers use the system; it doesn't penetrate to the shop floor

- After initial operation, no one continues to improve the process

These problems can occur even with the most advanced systems.

Conversely, they can be prevented by mastering the right implementation approach.

This white paper explains the '7 key points' extracted from case studies of companies that successfully adopted and sustained the use of production management systems, achieving improvements in productivity and other areas.

Download the white paper here

We will continue to provide valuable information on shop floor improvements for the manufacturing industry.

Thank you for your continued support.

About DIRECTOR6

DIRECTOR6 is a production scheduler and production management system specialized for made-to-order and multi-variety, small-lot production.

It enables visualization of 'Schedule,' 'Workload,' 'Progress,' 'Performance,' and 'Cost,' and supports efficient production management by integrating planning and actual results across the entire manufacturing process — from quotation simulation to order placement, design, manufacturing, assembly, and delivery.

By automating production planning and thoroughly visualizing factory operations, DIRECTOR6 achieves 'DX in production management,' including shorter lead times, cost reduction, and improved production efficiency.

[Feature 1] Fully specialized for made-to-order and multi-variety, small-lot production, integrating 30 years of accumulated expertise

[Feature 2] Automatically generates optimal schedules based on processes, resources, and delivery deadlines

[Feature 3] Visualizes shop floor conditions in real time, significantly reducing lead time and costs

[Feature 4] High usability with low cost and short implementation period

[Feature 5] Experienced staff provide comprehensive support to ensure successful system implementation

Visit the product website here

About SimTops Co., Ltd.

Company Name: SimTops Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: 10F, Shin-Meguro Tokyu Building, 2-25-2 Kamiosaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0021

Representative: President and CEO Kazuyuki Okuhata

Founded: October 1, 1991

Capital: 165 million yen

Sales Revenue: 2.087 billion yen (2024 fiscal year)

Employees: 92 (as of March 2026)

<Business Activities>

Development and sales of DIRECTOR6, a production scheduler and production management system for made-to-order production

Development and sales of i-Reporter, a no-code paperless solution for shop floor reporting

Development and sales of various i-Repo family products and services

Development and sales of MPPCreator, a BOP process editor

SimTops was established in 1991 as one of the pioneers in Japan specializing in domestic production scheduling software.

By incorporating knowledge gained from building and operating production scheduling and management systems for numerous clients, the company develops packaged software solutions such as production schedulers, production management systems, IoT data collection solutions, and digitalization systems for shop floor reports — all designed for real manufacturing environments — to support clients in their digital transformation (DX) initiatives.

Visit the corporate website here