“Gaea’s ISO 9001:2015 certification is a testament to our quality-centric, customer-driven philosophy. We will continue to uphold these standards and deliver world-class products and services. My sincere thanks to the entire team for working tirelessly to achieve this accreditation,” said Sury Balasubramanian, Gaea co-founder.

ISO 9001:2015 is part of the ISO 9000 series of standards that sets out requirements for a quality management system, helping businesses and organizations increase efficiency and improve customer satisfaction by adhering to its high standard based on quality management principles, including strong customer focus, leadership motivation, optimized processes, and continuous improvement.

Throughout the accreditation process, Gaea partnered with TÜV SÜD, an international trade and development company for safety, security, and sustainability solutions, to implement effective quality management systems that improved overall performance, ensuring Gaea continues to offer high-quality customer service.

We are making this announcement to thank all team members for their involvement and support in achieving this certification.

Learn more about ISO 9001:2015 at https://asq.org/quality-resources/iso-9000#Versus

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Tronox is a global leader in the mining, production, and marketing of inorganic minerals and chemicals and operates two vertically integrated divisions.

The TiO2 division mines and processes titanium ore, zircon, and other minerals, and manufactures TiO2 pigments. They are the third-largest titanium feedstock producer with approximately 10% of global titanium ore production, and the second-largest producer of zircon, with approximately 20% of global production. The division operates mines and mineral processing plants in South Africa and Australia, and pigment manufacturing plants in the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia.

The Challenge

Tronox’s project management office (PMO) team encountered difficulty managing projects and building an effective plan for projects in the active pipeline. Planning and tracking of project work was being done manually, with information coming from multiple systems and spreadsheets. This method led to difficulty in daily updates and progress measurement, increased errors, and a lengthy approvals process. Schedule progress with cost information was also analyzed manually using spreadsheets. Budget and contract management in Tronox’s existing ERP system lacked the depth required to address the PMO team objectives.

Tronox wanted to implement a system to manage the entire portfolio of capital projects for Tronox Mineral Sands (TMS). They also wanted to manage the performance of their project portfolio using tools like earned value management
(EVM), cash flow dashboards, and commitments by fund sources.

The Solution

Gaea fully automated Tronox’s formerly-manual processes by implementing Primavera Unifier and P6 EPPM, and integrating both with SAP. Gaea’s team designed, configured, enhanced, and deployed nearly 60 complex and unique business processes. They set up a facility breakdown of Tronox assets in order to manage medium, large, and mega projects that were distributed across various portfolios. In addition, a facility breakdown structure was also created for effective management of assets under construction.

Reports and dashboards for key performance indicators (KPIs) were developed using Oracle BI Publisher, and a system was designed to generate project cash flows and earned value curves in Unifier.

Return On Investment

After implementation, the time required to generate reports was reduced by 99.5%, from 4-5 days to a few minutes. Gaea’s development of effective cost-control and value-engineering processes reduced Tronox overhead by 25%. Management of contingency budgets was greatly improved, and the variance in contract cost by vendor type was reduced.

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“We are proud to partner with NHC and drive such a large implementation. This will be one of the largest implementations we lead around the world so we are very excited to kick off the project and streamline NHC’s operations across the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” added Dennis Samson, vice president of operations at Gaea.

In April our CEO Sury Balasubramanian was received by his excellency Eng Mohammed Bin Saleh Albuty, CEO at NHC and sectors vice president in Saudi Arabia to officially launch the project management information system implementation. The meeting started with a presentation to officially launch the product and concluded with a tour.

“We have an active partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations to make this project successful. We are honored to be part of this large and ambitious project and, as in every implementation, we will put ourselves into it to bring the best software support,” said Sury.

National Housing Company is the investment arm of the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing in the residential and commercial real estate sector in Saudi Arabia. The company has become the national enabler of the housing sector and the real estate supply system for the public and private sectors.

NHC is currently developing seven suburbs to provide housing solutions to Saudi citizens and bringing together different agencies and partners, like Gaea, to execute the real estate plan. The plan involves a total of 150,000 units spanning an area of 65,000,000 square meters.

Gaea will be leading the project management system efforts. The system will sync all the applications, information, and resources to have a comprehensive and integral project management platform and it will handle all the aspects of the plan life cycle in every sector of the seven business units (PMOs).

The PMIS implementation includes:

• Oracle Primavera Analytics
• Oracle Primavera Unifier
• Oracle Fusion PPM
• Microsoft Power BI

Learn More

Learn more about Gaea EPPM implementation services, or email us for a custom PMIS evaluation with a Gaea representative.

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West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. WVU’s Charleston Area Medical Center is a clinical campus for the university’s medical and dental schools. WVU provides outreach with offices in all of West Virginia’s 55 counties. The WVU system includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres with the Morgantown campus alone containing 245 buildings on 1,892 acres.

The Challenge

WVU facilities and services experienced significant growth in work volume and managed services across capital project management, facilities management, and real estate management. WVU’s legacy business management software, The Mountaineer MarketPlace, performed a majority of work for real estate management manually using spreadsheets. This legacy system led to decreased efficiency and accuracy, increased risk of errors, and increased the difficulty of cross-department functionality. The WVU user base includes facilities, roads and grounds, custodial, shops, building supervisors, technicians, and warehouse staff.

The Solution

WVU hired Gaea to implement and integrate Primavera Unifier with three systems: Oracle Financials (EBS), Facility Service Desk (FSD), and Jaggaer (fka SciQuest, The Mountaineer MarketPlace). EBS manages WVU financial transactions, FSD supports the WVU service and maintenance request portal, and Jaggaer facilitates WVU project and asset management processes.

This new solution integrates Unifier with the university ERP system, procurement system, and service portal. Gaea integrated Unifier with all three systems via service-oriented architecture (SOA), for a total of 22 integration touch points.

Primavera Unifier is now the university’s central repository for all CAPEX and OPEX spending throughout the construction-operation lifecycle. All campus capital spend from inception to commissioning and every facility — under construction and completed — is tracked in Unifier. Preventive and corrective work orders and all facility assets are tracked in Unifier’s Facilities and Asset Management (FAM) module.

Return On Investment

The new integrated Primavera Unifier solution increased efficiency, including a 95% reduction in handoffs for processing purchase requisitions. Time spent turning around POs and making payments was reduced, and productivity increased through the use of enhanced digitization of BPs with Unifier. User accountabliity and visibility increased, as did customer satisfaction pertaining to work order processing.

“We consider the Oracle-WVU partnership a model for the nation and perhaps the world. This will be the most modern technology available.” – Ray Lane, Former Oracle CEO and WVU alumnus

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Read the full artice at Oracle. Contact Gaea today to learn how we can help you implement a cloud solution that matches your unique enterprise needs.

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Bata is the largest and one of the most popular footwear retailers in India with more than 1,300 retail locations throughout the country. The Bata network in India consists of multiple affordable and high-end brands. The retail distribution center (RDC) located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India covers more than 100,000 square feet and distributes products to more than 600 stores. This warehouse, along with three other warehouses, work together to supply all the retail locations in India.

The Challenges

Bata was facing two challenges. The first was that the Bata RDC handles six different concepts with a constant flow of inbound and outbound inventory movement every day. Bata needed a new warehouse management system (WMS) to be implemented without affecting these operations. The in-house legacy systems were built specifically to work with other Bata legacy systems and were unable to be easily changed. All of those system adjustments, particularly for Bata’s interfaces and labeling system, had to be performed outside of those systems.

The second challenge was that the new WMS needed to be implemented in a few months and work immediately without any major hitches. End users needed to be comfortable with the new system and processes to operate with minimal supervision.

The Solution

To reduce business disruptions, Gaea planned a multiple-phase implementation of Oracle WMS Cloud. This case study focuses on the first phase. Phase one included two of the larger Bata concepts running on WMS Cloud within three months. During phase one, different teams performed UAT and received training simultaneously. In order to overcome legacy system limitations, Gaea created custom reports and leveraged handheld software scripting to enable Bata to continue using their existing multifield barcodes. Gaea also helped optimize (but did not reinvent) Bata operations by identifying areas for receiving and picking improvement. The new WMS provides real-time, end-to-end inventory visibility for the Bata RDC.

Since Bata could not change barcodes at their factories, any data modifications had to be made after scanning. Gaea utilized WaveLink TelnetCE (Windows) and Velocity (Android) scripting capabilities to address this challenge. Prefixes and identifiers were added to scanned data, and Gaea provided scan validation, visual feedback, and automated keystroke entries via these scripts. Examples of these capabilities include validating that the same pair of shoes was not scanned twice, showing the number of boxes received/picked, and auto-inputting CTRL commands. By using their existing multifield barcodes, Bata increased operational efficiency by capturing multiple data points like batch, expiry, and serial number, in one scan.

Because the legacy systems in use at Bata were outdated, automated integration was not feasible until proper middleware was implemented. To allow the WMS to make updates to Bata’s legacy ERP system, Gaea built custom reports in the WMS using its web-report tool. In addition to the interface reports, operations (ops) reports were created to assist the ops team in all warehouse areas. The ops reports were customized to show information pertinent to managers and in a format specifically requested by the managers.

Return On Investment

The new WMS provides real-time inventory visibility and increases inventory accuracy. Since the legacy system was reconciled only once at the end of every day, Bata did not have real-time inventory visibility. The new real-time updates allow Bata to track inventory from receiving to shipping. Bata supervisors and managers can now trace inventory movement at any stage in the warehouse.

Gaea replaced legacy-system manual processes with new system-driven processes. The new system-driven picking process directs pickers to pick locations following the pick-path sequence. System-driven picking reduces human error by ensuring the picker is at the right bin location and is picking the correct items. Following the pick-path sequence also helped reduce operational inefficiencies where pickers previously zig-zagged back and forth between the same bins multiple times throughout the day.

Full-box picking from heavy-duty reserve racks was reduced to one step by allowing pickers to pick the box from the pick location without having to go through a two-step process of performing letdown and then picking.

On the first day of picking with the new system, Bata picked more than 35,000 pairs of shoes. On average, across the two Bata concepts, more than 40,000 pairs of shoes are picked, packed, and shipped every day. After a month of picking with the new system, Bata doubled their daily pick rate, picking more than 70,000 pairs of shoes per day.

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The DSCSA mandates complete unit-level traceability in the entire pharma supply chain, affecting how supply chains track, store, and use data. It requires the use of an electronic system to track products from manufacturing all the way up until they are in consumer hands. Pharma companies are already reviewing solutions that will help them comply with the DSCSA, but how does it affect today’s supply chain, and what areas should companies review?

Starting in 2019, the DSCSA mandated that all manufacturers must have a central database with serialization for drug products in the USA. The DSCSA requires four key elements on a two-dimensional barcode that must be kept for six years:

1. Global trade identification number;
2. Serial number;
3. Lot number, and;
4. Expiration date.

Beginning in 2023, all information must be tracked at the individual level along the supply chain, and all updates and modifications must be entered into the system within 24 hours.

In addition, the USA allows distributors to ship units of pills in packages of different quantities for individual bottles to pharmacies, sole practitioners, hospitals, care units, and other medical facilities. If a pharmacist or designated prescriber breaks a 100-unit bottle into 20-pill prescription bottles, a unique serial number must be tracked on the new 20-pill prescription bottles, increasing data complexity across the supply chain.

Key areas follow below that pharma manufacturers and all parties involved with distributing pharma products should review to maintain compliance in 2023 and beyond.

Data Collection

Companies should be proactively reviewing whether or not they are collecting all the data required by the DSCSA. Two use cases are examined below: companies that are not currently recording the data and companies are recording the data but do not share it.

The first group, not collecting data, could begin exploring new software and IoT devices that allow them to track required data, for example, temperature sensors and product location (via GPS tracking software).

The second group, those that have systems in place but do not share data, can move on to answering the question, “how do we compile all the data in one place for a single source of truth?”

Data Storage

One of the most crucial components to review and plan for is data storage. Supply chain parties including manufacturers, re-packagers, wholesale distributors, and dispensers will have to collaborate to centralize all data for every drug and patient, and make sure it is accessible in one shared database. The goal is to have a single source of truth to increase patient safety protection.

The good news is that solutions already on the market, like blockchain technology, fulfill this need. Moreover, blockchain can be integrated with warehouse management systems like transportation or labeling software to ensure data isn’t lost or corrupted at transactions within the supply chain flow. You may wish to learn more by reviewing many great articles on how to leverage blockchain potential.

Cybersecurity

With all of the data centralized in one location, the next question to ask is, “how do we ensure secure management of that data?” Companies should explore technology that safeguards patient privacy and has cloud security certifications like VAPT. Sharing data in a confidential and safe environment is vital to protect patient privacy. For instance, blockchain does not work as a centralized gatekeeper but instead uses computers, also called nodes, to share information in an almost hackproof way.

Develop or implement

With storage and security in hand, companies should procure or develop software that meets DSCSA compliance. Procuring existing software is probably the most common approach as it requires fewer resources, but it also involves finding the right solution implementation partner and one who, in some cases, may also run it.

If choosing the implementation route, look for partners with a track record of implementing diverse supply chain solutions. For example, Smith Manufacturing wants to use blockchain to gain full visibility of their drugs and control the cold chain while shipping internationally. For full visibility, Smith decides to integrate blockchain with its warehouse management systems (WMS), transportation management systems (TMS) and global trade management (GTM). Partners with extensive experience in WMS, TMS, and GTM software are most likely to succeed with blockchain implementation and integration with WMS, TMS, and GTM.

Label templates

Label templates must also be reviewed and updated to include new data and barcodes required by the DSCSA. In some cases, label templates may even need to be redesigned so that all of the information fits and is legible.
Companies may wish to implement label-management software to create a central label template repository. Labeling software provides a single source of truth for label templates and ensures that all internal and external team members always have access to correct label templates.

Conclusion

The DSCSA regulation is in large part responsible for speeding up a digital revolution in the pharma industry with a focus on increased data tracking, collaboration, and an interconnected supply chain. Pharmaceutical companies and those involved with the pharma supply chain are working around the clock to put solutions in place that meet DSCSA requirements to improve patient safety.

Contact Gaea today to learn how we can help you implement a supply chain / blockchain solution that matches your unique enterprise needs.

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With the pandemic still raging across the globe, the question many organizations are asking is, are supply chain teams prepared to continue working off-site? The answer is, that depends on what software and processes they decide to use.

For months, teams adapted as best they could to what they initially hoped was a temporary situation. The strategic approach was to defer large investments in new solutions while the depth and breadth of pandemic-related issues were sorted out.

After about a year of trial and error, organizations have a better handle on which things worked and which did not to maintain smooth-running supply chains. As we head into 2021, here are a few recommendations based on those experiences.

Read the full artice at Supply and Demand Chain Executive. Contact Gaea today to learn how we can help you implement a cloud solution that matches your unique enterprise needs.

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Here are three significant consumer trends seen in the past months and how they affect the food industry today:

1. Consumer behavior is continuously changing
2. Increase in online grocery shopping
3. Savvy consumers

Read the full artice at Food Logistics. Contact Gaea today to learn how we can help you implement a blockchain solution that matches your unique enterprise needs.

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What is Return on Investment?

Return on investment (ROI) is a performance measurement expressed as a ratio of the net profit to the cost of an investment. Let’s take a look at Example Co, a manufacturing company currently investing $1,500,000 to construct a new facility. Over the course of the first year the facility is in service, it generates a net profit of $5,250,000. The ROI on the original investment is the net profit (5,250,000) / the facility cost (1,500,000) x (100) = 350%. Well done, Example Co.!

Four Steps to Track Portfolio and Project ROI with Primavera P6

1. Create a project;
2. Create a portfolio;
3. Define spending plan and benefit plan, and;
4. Analyze ROI.

Key Elements and Formulas

• Total spending plan. Sum of months in spending plan column
• Total benefit plan. Sum of months in benefit plan column
• Annual discount rate. Users enter this value
• Payback period. Calculated by P6
• Net present value. (total benefit plan) – (total spending plan)
• ROI. (net present value) / (total spending plan) x (100)

Oracle Primavera P6 enables ROI tracking per project with different user-managed time frames. Users can define a spending plan vs benefit plan for a project on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.

Step 1. Create a Project

The figure below shows a list of sample projects created to demonstrate tracking ROI in Primavera P6.

Step 2. Create a Portfolio

The figure below shows a list of sample projects (created in the previous step) inside a sample portfolio.

Step 3. Define Spending Plan and Benefit Plan

• Click on the project name

• Select time scale
• Click edit spending and benefit plans

Update spending plan and benefit plan values (by month)

• Update spending plan values by month
• Update benefit plan values by month
• Update annual discount rate
• Select discount period (optional)

P6 will automatically calculate:

• Net-present value;
• ROI, and;
• Payback period.

Step 4. ROI Analysis

P6 users can perform ROI analysis at the portfolio and project levels. The figure below displays the information discussed at the beginning of this post.

• Total benefit plan
• Payback period
• Total spending plan
• Net-present value
• ROI %
• ROI graph

To view the ROI graph for a specific project, click the corresponding view chart link.

To view the ROI graph for a specific portfolio, click the corresponding view chart link.

Notes on Tracking ROI in Primavera P6

• Java is required to view ROI analysis pages.
• No option exists for bulk updating of the spending plan and benefit plan for multiple projects. Users must manually update these items for each project.
• The spending plan must be manually updated. The system is unable to calculate the amount from project planned costs from activities.

Gaea provides Primavera P6 scheduling and project portfolio management services for organizations in every industry. Contact us today to learn how we can help you implement an Oracle Primavera P6 solution that matches your unique enterprise needs.

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