Integrating Product Lifecycle Management and the Supply Chain

Today, companies realize the importance of involving the global supplier network early in the product development cycle. This involvement can begin as early as the conceptualization stage and continue across the design, production, distribution, and service phases—the entire product lifecycle. This implies that product lifecycle management (PLM) and supply chain management (SCM) can no longer be viewed in silos. These two functions must integrate seamlessly if companies wish to bring high quality, innovative products to the market quickly and cost effectively. Integrating product lifecycle information with supply chain processes also helps organizations hit the right notes with respect to protability and customer satisfaction. With organizations aggressively pursuing new markets and rapidly expanding operations to drive growth, PLM's role as a supply chain enabler is likely to become more important in the future. WHITE PAPER Engineering and Industrial Services