Plastics ERP software streamlines polymer manufacturing and distribution operations, like production planning, inventory management, and quality control. We used our advanced review methodology to evaluate and rank the top education ERP software in the market today.
- Epicor Kinetic: Best Overall
- Microsoft Dynamics 365: Best for Mixed-Mode Manufacturing
- Acumatica: Best for Agile Manufacturing
- SYSPRO: Best QMS Tools
- Datacor ERP: Best Industry-Specific Features
- Aptean ERP: Best Formula Management
1 Epicor Kinetic - Best Overall
Why we chose it: Epicor Kinetic tops our best plastics ERP software list for blending innovation with operational efficiency, crucial for the dynamic plastics sector. We found its inventory management module advanced, ensuring compatibility and transparency in component tracking. The platform also includes a comprehensive toolkit for accurate estimates, quoting, scheduling, and monitoring.
Epicor Kinetic supports custom and on-demand production. Its simplicity and effectiveness extend to make-to-stock operations as well, making it flexible for a range of manufacturing techniques. In addition, its track-and-trace and quality control functionalities make the it a vital asset for industries under stringent regulatory demands. Epicor’s specialized CMS for automotive plastics further underscores its tailored approach, providing a global ERP system for the rubber and plastics industry.
2 Microsoft Dynamics 365 - Best for Mixed-Mode Manufacturing
Why we chose it: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central supports a range of manufacturing processes crucial for plastics, including discrete, process, lean, and mixed-mode manufacturing. This versatility allows plants to quickly adapt to new manufacturing methods and materials innovations, maintaining a competitive edge.
We found the system’s planning worksheet and MRP engine quite useful, especially for advanced demand forecasting and production scheduling. This integration ensures that plastics manufacturers can anticipate material needs and adjust production schedules in near real-time, optimizing resource use.
Business Central handles complex BOMs and detailed routings to help plastics manufacturers maintain precise control over production processes. This feature is essential for ensuring product quality and consistency, especially when dealing with complex products that require specific manufacturing steps and component ratios
3 Acumatica - Best for Agile Manufacturing
Why we chose it: We found that Acumatica is an agile solution for managing the varied facets of plastics production, such as injection molding, blow molding, resins, and plastic adhesives. This agility is crucial for adapting to rapid changes in development and managing a wide range of finished products.
Key features like advanced inventory management and precise production planning ensure that plastics manufacturers can efficiently align their stock levels with customer needs. Acumatica’s cloud-based ERP system seamlessly supports varied manufacturing modes by unifying data, systems, and processes. This cohesive approach facilitates timely MRP and finite scheduling, shortens cycle times, and elevates product quality.
4 SYSPRO - Best QMS Tools
Why we chose it: We picked SYSPRO for its strong QMS tools, managing diverse product outputs and ensuring the quality of raw materials. It handles rigorous quality checks, including on chemical composition and hardness, with customizable inspection plans. SYSPRO’s traceability tools provide detailed tracking of materials from their arrival to final delivery, a key aspect for regulatory compliance and enhancement of operational practices.
The software is particularly effective in navigating the complexities of modern manufacturing trends such as Industry 4.0, offering tools for mass customization and integrating 3D printing processes. SYSPRO enhances supply chain operations with sophisticated forecasting and planning, ensuring supply meets demand efficiently. It also focuses on streamlining production to optimize capacity and reduce bottlenecks. Additionally, SYSPRO’s ability to integrate with external systems boosts overall operational efficiency, providing a competitive edge in the market.
5 Datacor ERP - Best Industry-Specific Features
Why we chose it: Datacor ERP made our list because it’s designed specifically for process manufacturers. This ERP system supports batch production, automating production scheduling and procurement. It also optimizes buying and production decisions and performs production cost and yield analysis. Datacor’s lab management features provide flexibility in managing complex formulas and production histories.
Quality control is another industry-specific feature, with Datacor ERP offering extensive capabilities to track the manufacturing process from start to finish. This includes producing Certificates of Analysis, collecting product specifications, and ensuring that each batch or lot meets the unique specifications of different customers.
6 Aptean ERP - Best Formula Management
Why we chose it: Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP Ross Edition is ideal for formula management because it’s designed to handle the complexities of process manufacturing, enabling precise control over recipes. It covers ingredient variations, production processes, and quality control, ensuring consistent product output. For that reason, Aptean ERP is a good fit for the food and beverage, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotech sectors.
Additionally, we like that Aptean ERP lends transparency to key enterprise areas, including purchasing, inventory, manufacturing, and sales. Its inventory and warehouse management capabilities, mobile accessibility, and planning and financial control features. It is the official successor to Ross ERP, offering visibility and transparency into operations with customizable reports and inquiries.
The plastics industry, a subset of chemical manufacturing, is constantly growing and trying to find new ways to utilize polymer materials in goods and services. From new construction to advanced electronics, this fast-growing and ever-changing field is essential to almost every industry on Earth.
Plastics manufacturing as a whole has reached an all-time high in production and adaptation. Old formulas are being improved daily to create new, higher-quality products. As such, the plastics manufacturing industry has changed dramatically in recent years and developed unique production issues on the shop floor and back office. Fortunately, there is an easy way to optimize your plastic manufacturing business.
What is Plastics ERP Software?
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for the plastics industry consists of an integrated suite of popular business applications capable of automating and streamlining functions such as financials, sales, and operations. As a specific solution for plastics manufacturing, this software includes additional features to cover standard processes of plastics engineering. For instance, plastics ERP software can record specific polymer recipes and chemical blends vital to the continued development of new plastic commodities.
Since the plastics industry deals with so many facets of modern life, it is vital to have a custom ERP package that allows you to stay focused on future developments. Plastics ERP software can be highly customized to integrate the tools you need to streamline operations.
Note: Plastics ERP software generally covers both plastics and rubber production. It may also be referred to as manufacturing resource planning (MRP) software.
Features of Plastics ERP Software
- Accounting: Track all sources of revenue and expense through a general ledger which records accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR), and employee payroll
- Budgeting and forecasting: Manage detailed financial plans to accurately predict future revenue and expenses; budget based on departments and workforce planning
- Bills of Materials (BOM): Keep records of all interrelated materials necessary for production from raw materials to finished goods
- Recipe and blend management: Store records of different plastic recipes, blends, and variations in one easily accessible location
- Regulatory compliance tracking: Traceability measures ensure your operations are within compliance throughout production, storage, and distribution
- Inventory management: Record information about the plastic commodities your company manufactures, assembles, or sells
- Supply chain management: Control the movement of goods and services between locations as efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible
- Human resources (HR): Manage current employees from the hiring and onboarding process through to time and attendance tracking
- Customer relationship management (CRM): Support customer outreach with contact management, lead tracking, order histories, and quote or invoice creation
Best Plastics ERP Software Benefits
Incorporating plastics ERP software into your operations can provide many useful benefits, such as:
Streamline Back Office and Front End Operations
The first and foremost benefit of plastics ERP software is the ability to optimize your operations across every department completely. Using different solutions for every task can quickly become inefficient and lead to miscommunication. And in the plastics field, even more processes are necessary to operate.
Connecting once separate systems into a single plastics ERP solution adds overall efficiency. Share data between different departments without creating endless duplicates, which can clog up operations and lead to confusion. Through a singular database, basic accounting, budgeting, and forecasting can provide insight into your finances across the board.
Greater Workflow Visibility
ERP software can speed up internal processes while providing the mechanisms necessary to monitor them for continuous improvement. This additional transparency allows your organization to consider current processes more holistically.
For example, there are a lot of differences between manufacturing plastic commodities using extrusion and injection molding methods. ERP software lets you determine which method may provide the best ROI for your organization.
With cloud-based plastics ERP solutions, you can gain real-time visibility into all your processes, even those occurring in different countries worldwide. Since plastics is a global industry, this can provide a competitive advantage to your organization by keeping you up-to-date on the latest internal developments.
Increased Safety Compliance
Plastics and rubber production can be incredibly harmful to worker safety and the environment. Mixing new chemicals, moving finished products, and storing raw materials all require strict compliance with local and international regulations. And these safety laws are regularly updated, meaning you need a way to stay on top of the latest requirements.
Since regulation varies based on location, plastics ERP software helps you remain compliant no matter where you are. Recipe and blend management tools and a comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM) can show exactly which chemical ingredients are in use and in what quantities. This can prove compliance during an audit or if a batch is not up to standard. Track and trace features can show where raw materials came from, what they were used to produce, and where the finished products are.
Easier Decision Making
The above benefits add up to one more advantage: a more straightforward decision-making process. ERP software for plastic industries simplifies identifying opportunities for improvement by combining all the data you need into one accessible platform. With this data, decision-makers at every level of the company can gain greater insight into future decisions along every step of the supply chain.
Plastics Manufacturing Trends
In 2024, the plastics manufacturing industry has seen several changes. These range from changing production methods to COVID-19 safety adaptations. Here are just a few of the latest trends in the plastics industry:
- Automation through 3D printing
- Advances in polymer technology
- Rise in biodegradable plastics recipes and formulations
- Increase in production from recycled plastics
- Increase in making plastics that are easily recyclable
- A move towards lightweight plastics
- More demand for high-performance plastics, reaching $25.41 billion in 2024 according to a report by Smithers
By using a plastics manufacturing software with ERP functionality, your company can keep up with and adapt to these latest trends easier than ever before.
