[For Western Japan Manufacturers] Webinar: How to Visualize and Redesign Add-on-Heavy Legacy ERP Systems

The Aging of Long-Used ERP Systems In the manufacturing industry, production management systems have supported factory floors for many years. Core operations such as order management, MRP, inventory, costing, and shipping have evolved through repeated functional additions and modifications based on the best decisions at the time.

However, today's landscape—characterized by volatile supply and demand, the need for high-mix low-volume production, and accelerated digital transformation—demands greater flexibility and speed. In many cases, the structure of existing systems itself has become an obstacle to reform.

Slower Modification Speeds Due to Silos and 'Black-Box' Systems When companies consider upgrading their core systems, they often face the reality that they do not fully grasp the system's overall structure, which is more complex than imagined.

Are you in a situation where you cannot grasp the big picture due to a mix of generations and technologies—core systems built in COBOL, peripheral systems added later in .NET or Java, and SAP (ABAP) areas with numerous add-on developments?

For example: - Production management and logistics systems are siloed, leading to routine manual reconciliation of inventory data. - Every time an order is changed, adjustments to production, procurement, and shipping are done manually. - Only a limited number of staff can explain the scope of system impact.

In such situations, systems cannot keep pace with speedy management decisions or business reform.

Phased Modernization: From Visualizing Assets with IBM Bob to AI Agents and ERP Frameworks This webinar targets manufacturers in the Western Japan area to introduce the ideal state of corporate systems in the AI era and realistic approaches to core system upgrades.

IBM Japan will explain the latest trends and key points in utilizing IBM Bob. We will specifically demonstrate how to visualize complex existing systems and connect them to the next steps.

Furthermore, we will introduce the potential of utilizing AI agents and the concept of phased modernization using the IBM ERP framework and IBM PowerVS.

This is a seminar to specifically consider the 'next step' that minimizes risk, rather than choosing between a full overhaul or maintaining the status quo.

Recommended for - Manufacturing and IT department staff in Western Japan considering upgrading legacy core systems. - Those feeling challenged by siloed or 'black-box' systems. - Those wishing to proceed with ERP implementation or restructuring in a phased manner. - Management and planning departments in charge of DX in production management and logistics.

Organizer/Co-organizer Tanaka Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. IBM Japan, Ltd.

Cooperation Majisemi Co., Ltd.