Record-Breaking Number of IQMS Customers Receive ML100 Awards

PASO ROBLES, Calif. --(Business Wire)--

IQMS, a manufacturing ERP software and MES developer with an ongoing, proactive commitment to its product and relationships, today announced that six pioneering IQMS customers will be honored with a record-breaking eight individual Manufacturing Leadership 100 (ML100) awards this year. In coordination with the 2013 Manufacturing Leadership Summit, the ML100 recipients will be recognized during a black-tie gala at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla. on May 15. IQMS' impressive winners include:

KLW Plastics, Inc., a blow molder of tight-head storage containers for the chemicals and food industries, earned its ML100 distinction in the Sustainability category. Through a special multi-layer production machine and its proprietary Thickness Compensation System, KLW Plastics created a container with 60 percent post-consumer resin. It is the first container on the market to contain post-consumer resin and earn Department of Transportation (DOT) approval.

Nicolet Plastics, Inc. was honored in the Operational Excellence category for its company-wide Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) implementation. Through a variety of QRM initiatives, including a heavy reliance on IQMS' ERP reports and functionality, total solutions manufacturer, Nicolet Plastics, has embraced a relentless emphasis on lead time reduction, which has led to lower inventory levels, higher margins, more competitive pricing and increased market positioning.

Plastic Components, Inc. (PCI (News - Alert)) was recognized in the Operational Excellence category for its completely unattended, state-of-the-art lights out facility. Through an automated material handling system, overhead cranes, production robots an automated packaging system, IQMS' RealTime Production Monitoring system and network cameras, PCI is currently running its new plant without any human interaction of any kind. Specializing in the production of tight tolerance, precisely engineered components, PCI has yet to register a quality defect from components produced at the new lights out facility.

Plastikos, Inc., a manufacturer of thermoplastic components for primarily the electronic and medical industries, received a ML100 honor in two categories this year. The first was in the Operational Excellence category for its collaboration with IQMS' Automation Department programming staff on an automated production labeling and tool tracking initiative. The second was in the Sustainability category for Plastikos' implementation of environmentally friendly practices across its entire enterprise to greatly reduce waste and conserve energy.

Thogus Products Co. was also a winner in two separate categories. Thogus' president, Matt Hlavin, was named one of the ML100's Manufacturing Entrepreneurs for his exemplary work starting three separate sister companies under the Thogus umbrella while simultaneously growing Thogus to a new level of success, as well as his passion for his employees and the industry as a whole. Thogus was then acknowledged in the Game-Changing Technologies category for its unique internal marketing department that is embracing social media platforms, expanding brand awareness, increasing organic web traffic and securing Thogus' competitive hold in the marketplace.

Finally, Tribar Manufacturing, specialists in the production of cost-effective, high quality decorative badges for the automotive industry, achieved praise in the Information Leadership category for the re-embracement of its ERP software. At initial implementation, rapid company growth focused Tribar's time and energies into different projects. The ML100 award celebrates Tribar's honest recounting of its dilemma, but more importantly, its recent concentrated effort to embrace, utilize and deploy IQMS' EnterpriseIQ ERP system to fully take advantage of all it has to offer and make strides in various areas of growth and improvement.

"The breadth of IQMS customers who are being honored and the scope of their projects this year are very impressive. From every walk of manufacturing, our winners are demonstrating achievements that truly shape the future," said Glenn Nowak, vice president at IQMS. "We celebrate their accomplishments and recognition as industry innovators who continue to lead the way in American manufacturing."

For more information about the Manufacturing Leadership 100 award winners, please visit: http://www.ml100awards.com/

About IQMS

Since 1989, IQMS has been designing and developing manufacturing ERP software for the repetitive, process and discrete industries. Today, IQMS provides a comprehensive real-time MES and manufacturing ERP software solution to the automotive, medical, packaging, consumer goods and other manufacturing markets. The innovative, extended single-database enterprise software solution, EnterpriseIQ, offers a scalable system designed to adeptly grow with the client and complete business functionality, including accounting, quality control, supply chain, CRM and eBusiness. With offices across North America, Europe and Asia, IQMS serves manufacturers around the world.