Linx-AS
SAP PLM Experts for Strategic Process Transformation

Product lifecycle management (PLM) is unique compared to other business processes. It is extremely data intensive as all the information from product inception to manufacture and eventual obsolescence or reengineering needs to be captured. Additionally, when lifecycle documentation spreads across multiple systems, databases, hard drives, CIOs are left with sluggish commercialization processes, specification and material redundancy, data inaccuracy, lack of visibility to product information, and exposure to compliance risks. “The CIO’s Holy Grailis one version of the truth for product data,” says Dave Wong, Senior Vice President, SAP Solution Delivery, Linx-AS. “Because of its complexity and breadth, PLM can be difficult to manage and often mistakenly defined,” he adds.

Linx-AS helps companies understand the components of PLM, the ways it applies to their specific business and industry, and where the most benefit can be achieved. “Moreover, for the SAP customer, Linx-AS demonstrates the capabilities of SAP PLM and how they map into a strategic PLM program,” he adds. Linx-AS has been working with SAP PLM since 2000. “Over the years, we’ve been able to harvest our experience and package it in process and technical accelerators for customer implementations,” remarks Wong. From a process perspective, the business user benefits from a tried and validated PLM process standard, which is much more detailed with sub- process decomposition than other best-practice offerings.

While processes from company to company will vary, Linx- AS’s best practices offer a template to redesign and transform product development. “Our workflow accelerator framework then can quickly model the process in the system to make the solution “real” to business users prior to implementation in a pilot environment,” he adds.

Linx-AS is also a certified implementation partner for the SAP PLM rapid-deployment solution (RDS) for process manufacturing industries which focuses on product formulations from first conception to final products.

“While this enterprise platform holds great potential for streamlining operational efficiency, increasing profit margins, and reducing corporate risk, its full value isn't delivered right out of the box,” says Wong.

For the SAP customer, Linx-AS demonstrates the capabilities of SAP PLM and how they map into a strategic PLM program

The Linx-AS portfolio provides additional process support to fully understand and visualize the potential of a complete SAP PLM solution. “To that end, Linx-AS provides add-ons to the base system, such as managing packaging specifications, enhanced product labeling, product artwork management, and enhanced workflow,” he adds.

Innovating is a key ingredient to Linx-AS’s success and longevity. The Linx-AS’s innovations group blends developers, process-minded user experience architects, and interface design engineers who know SAP inside and out. From a PLM standpoint, the company focuses on industry-specific solution enhancements. For instance, Linx-AS has enhanced SAP PLM to streamline the product labeling and artwork management process for consumer products companies.

“While for our chemicals clients, we’ve transformed the SAP PLM user experience to be relevant to the R&D requirements of that industry,” says Wong. “Being a center of innovation within the SAP landscape is critical for us,” says Wong. Linx-AS’s innovations. Division creates solutions based on industry requirements as well as pushing the envelope with new ideas in the PLM arena using SAP Fiori and SAP HANA—the data computing technologies. “Our work developing ‘best practices’ has produced solutions for a number of solutions for our customers, include data design and migration tools,” states Wong. “Adding value through innovation is critical to our future as it has been throughout the history of Linx-AS,” he concludes.