Press Release for CNY ESL
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999
Contact: Kevin Morrow
Phone: 443-3784
E-mail: kdmorrow@syr.edu
CENTRAL NEW YORK ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS LABORATORY AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY WILL HELP AREA MANUFACTURERS ADOPT INTEGRATION
SOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO BETTER COMPETE IN THE 21ST CENTURY'S GLOBAL MARKETPLACE
The new Central New York Enterprise Systems Laboratory (CNY-ESL) to be constructed in Syracuse University's Link
Hall will strengthen the local manufacturing environment and will lead to increased company revenues and job retention
as Central New York's manufacturing firms become more efficient and better able to compete in the global marketplace,
say the lab's organizers.
The principal organizers of the CNY-ESL gathered on the SU campus today to formally announce the lab's establishment,
which is made possible by a $150,000 state allocation secured by state Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann. The state
funding will pay for two high-end computer servers, 14 desktop computers, educational support systems, and renovation
costs for the existing space in Link Hall.
The CNY-ESL-an initiative of the Institute for Manufacturing Enterprises in SU's L.C. Smith College of Engineering
and Computer Science-will provide a unique environment for educational, and research and development activities
in the area of scalable enterprise systems. The lab will serve as a place of instruction for Central New York engineers
and SU students, and will enable synergistic interaction among the practicing engineers, the students and SU faculty
experts.
"The key to success in today's highly competitive business world is the ability to utilize the most up-to-date
information technology," says Sen. Hoffmann. "To do this efficiently, area businesses need a convenient
and cost-effective training program close to home. I'm pleased Syracuse University wants to meet this important
need. The Central New York Enterprise Systems Laboratory is an exciting opportunity to help area businesses train
their employees on state-of-the-art business technology."
"Sen. Hoffmann's efforts on our behalf come at a most appropriate time," says SU Chancellor Kenneth A.
Shaw. "SU's College of Engineering is making great strides in serving both student needs and the needs of
the community and the state. This new laboratory will significantly advance the college's ability to meet these
needs."
"The state funding arranged by Sen. Hoffmann will enable Syracuse University to help manufacturing companies
in Central New York retain and enlarge their workforces," says Edward A. Bogucz Jr., dean of the L.C. Smith
College of Engineering and Computer Science. "The award will strengthen the partnerships we have with many
local companies and with the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and will enable Syracuse University
to apply state-of-the-art computer technologies to enhance the position of local firms in the increasingly global
competitions that they all face. I applaud Sen. Hoffmann's commitment to maintaining a strong manufacturing base
in Central New York."
Information technology and its applications in business and manufacturing-such as enterprise resource planning
(ERP)-is the fastest growing part of U.S. industry in recent years. ERP systems grew out of the recognition that
manufacturing systems could not function in isolation from other major functions of a manufacturing enterprise,
such as cost accounting, finance, human resource management, sales and marketing, and purchasing. It is believed
that such a seamless integration within an enterprise and with customers/suppliers through electronic data interchange
will become the primary means of conducting business in the 21st century.
Businesses in Central New York will need to adopt enterprise integration solutions to achieve the cost effectiveness
and product quality necessary to compete globally, say the CNY-ESL organizers. Further, this trend will be beneficial
for both large original equipment manufacturers and small- to mid-sized firms providing products to large companies.
Central New York manufacturers could benefit greatly from the establishment of a local enterprise systems resource,
both for the training of their next-generation technical employees and for assistance with the development of their
own enterprise integration solutions. And so came about the idea for the Central New York Enterprise Systems Laboratory.
Using the CNY-ESL, SU's Institute for Manufacturing Enterprises will provide:
- regular education on enterprise integration with hands-on experience on Enterprise Resource Planning systems,
such as the industry-leading SAP software
- training opportunities for employees in Central New York through short-term courses
- informational sessions for CEOs and managers of Central New York firms
- a deposit of knowledge in the subject in terms of experienced personnel, software and documentation
- applied research opportunities for developing a scientific base for scalable enterprise systems
Among those attending the CNY-ESL announcement today were: Mick Fleming, president of the Manufacturers Association
of Central New York, who spoke on behalf of the area business community; SU Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah
A. Freund; Bill Smith (SU Class of 1950), an SU trustee and a prominent engineering practitioner; Bill Tuck, president
of Crouse-Hinds and a member of the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science advisory board; Chuck
Barletta, dean of SU Continuing Education/ University College; and SU professors Shiu-Kai Chin, Young Moon and
Eric Spina.
-###-
| 