SAP Ariba and SAP Announce Manufacturing Network, Bringing Expanded Cloud Collaboration to Businesses

Business networking has been affected worldwide with the ability to collaborate in cloud-based networks. That technology is expanding even further now with Manufacturing Network, a platform created by SAP Ariba and SAP—bringing together the largest business network with leading digital manufacturing applications.

Improved methods for working on projects in the cloud will allow companies around the globe to coordinate more fluidly and affordably—resulting in better brainstorming, improved workflow, and faster production for teams using progressive technology like 3D printing. Cloud-based activities are becoming more widespread and affect a wide range of industries. In 3D printing, numerous products have been rolled out for cloud-based software and cloud-based printing solutions, along with collaboration tools for designers and even programs for classrooms and educators.

The release of Manufacturing Network was announced during SAP Ariba Live, a business commerce conference held last week in Amsterdam.

“Manufacturing today is more distributed and global than ever before. To do it well, companies must connect people, processes, things and information, and that’s what networks are all about,” said Vasee Rayan, Vice President, Solutions Management, Ariba Network.

Such concepts go hand in hand with companies engrossed in using technology like 3D design and 3D printing to revolutionize their manufacturing processes, offering a completely new way for teams to design, prototype and produce high-performance parts and innovations that may not have been possible previously—or nearly as affordable.

Today, 3.3 million businesses use the Ariba Network, with over $1.6 trillion in transactions occurring there each year. Manufacturing Network is designed to enable companies to take projects and manufacturing to an even further level—looking forward to greater power and speed in communication.

“The digitally enabled, thinking supply chain is a critical journey to take for manufacturers, because while efficiency and effectiveness gains will enable returns on investment in the short term, new ways of doing business and the new capabilities they enable will be essential for the future,” said Simon Ellis, Program Vice President – Supply Chain IDC Manufacturing Insights. “In leveraging domain specific networks and the technologies underlying them to drive an end-to-end process, manufacturers can drive better efficiency in their supply chains and use that to improve the customer experience.”

The Manufacturing Network will offer features such as:

• The ability to collaborate on projects, highlight team member edits, and make suggestions
• Link business discussions centered around products and other information
• Discuss price quotes and plans for purchases
• Embed and share data regarding projects and new products
• Discuss changes with manufacturers and suppliers

Both SAP Ariba and SAP provide services and technology to streamline business performance for organizations of all sizes, and for all their different divisions. You can find out more about SAP Ariba and their services here, and SAP’s enterprise application software here.

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