McClarin Plastics, Inc.: S2K for Manufacturing

McClarin Plastics, Inc.: S2K for Manufacturing

S2K for Manufacturing includes powerful forecasting software that eliminates time-consuming manual processes for McClarin...


McClarin Plastics, Inc. is a recognized leader in the custom design and manufacture of Thermoformed and Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic products and components. For over 50 years, McClarin Plastics has been helping companies locally, nationally, and internationally find creative solutions using plastics and reinforced plastics applications. S2K’s centralized database with secured access allows the company’s information to flow in real-time fashion.

McClarin is another example of how a great company such as VAI works with its customers to understand their needs and find and apply the appropriate solution.


Dolvin hopes that it can fulfill your technology challenges.
Click here to learn more about Dolvin and how we work with companies like yours to streamline your operations.

ERP Systems: It shapes, and should be shaped by, its users.

ERP Fail: When Best Practices Meet Real Life

Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) has posted an entry on their blog that is worth a few minutes to review. 

Open University PhD candidate Gabrielle Ford has a new perspective on why, despite an abundance of expert insight, so many ERP implementations continue to fail.

The article points out what we all know, but seem to forget when we see fancy presentations.  The article points out that: "Management needs to remember that an ERP system, like all technology, is a sociotechnical system: it shapes, and should be shaped by, its users".

People are the key.  Get consensus from the users that this change will help them give more value to the company and they will feel empowered and will want to do what ever it takes to help.

Treat your people like people and they will treat you like a person.

Dolvin Consulting works with companies to make sure the proposed solution fits. 
Click this link for our contact information.

VAI Corporate Roadmap

VAI Corporate

We make it OUR business to understand YOUR Business....
Dolvin partners with VAI and IBM provide end-to-end integrated enterprise solutions for the manufacturing, retail, wholesale distribution, food and related service industries. The internet, globalization, and innovative technologies are coming together, changing business, society and cultures. A secure business system, such as the IBM Power Systems family can grow your business. This technology includes the flexibility of the Blade Center technology and your choice of operating systems.

Dolvin hopes that it can fulfill your technology challenges.
Click here to find out how Dolvin Consulting can work with your organization to streamline operations.

ERP for Small Businesses: A Buyer’s Guide

ERP for Small Businesses: A Buyer’s Guide

Source: Technology Evaluation Centers

If you’re a small business owner considering enterprise resource planning (ERP), you undoubtedly have numerous questions. Should you choose an on-premise, on-demand, or open-source system? Should you manage the selection and implementation process yourself, or rely on outside consultants? These questions—and many others—are addressed in this guide. Download it, and begin the process of improving the way you run your business.

This report is detailed and covers a wide range of questions and decision making topics.  Well worth the investment in time.  We invite you to see how Dolvin can help you navigate the current state of confusion in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.

Contact us by clicking here.

Smith Drug Company: S2K for Distribution

Smith Drug Company: S2K for Distribution

Smith Drug Company, the first founded business in the J M Smith Corporation, is listed among one of the top 10 wholesale drug companies in the United States. From three distribution centers, covering 19 states, the Smith Drug Company supplies independent, locally owned pharmacies with pharmaceutical products, health and beauty aids and home medical equipment.

Smith Drug is another example of how a great company such as VAI works with its customers to understand their needs and find and apply the appropriate solution.

Dolvin hopes that it can fulfill your technology challenges.Click here to contact Dolvin to learn how we can help you streamline your operations.

10 Fundamental Strategies for Choosing the Right ERP Finance and Accounting Solution for Your Company

10 Fundamental Strategies for Choosing the Right ERP Finance and Accounting Solution for Your Company
Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) has a number of white papers providing valuable information.  Like many white papers found online, one should read them carefully.  A big takeaway is the knowledge foundation built by reading.  At minimum you can build your list of questions to ask when talking with your trusted advisor.

I particularly like the fifth point in that a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution integrates the sales force with the back office.  Click the article title above for the full article.

Dolvin values their trusted relationships with their clients and hopes you will find value in this and other articles found on our Web and Blog sites.

Sheralven Enterprise Ltd.: S2K for Distribution

Sheralven Enterprise Ltd.: S2K for Distribution
Since 1977, Sheralven Enterprises Ltd. has been a full service sales, manufacturing and distribution company of Brand Name Fragrances. From their multiple state-of-the-art distribution centers, Sheralven maintains the highest fulfillment rate in the industry and provides customizable shipping options both domestically and internationally

Sheralven is another example of how a great company such as VAI works with its customers to understand their needs and find and apply the appropriate solution.

Dolvin hopes that it can fulfill your technology challenges.Contact Dolvin to learn how we can help you streamline your operations.

ERP To-Do Checklist: Things to Ask Before You Write That BIG Check To A Vendor

ERP To-Do Checklist: Things to Ask Before You Write That BIG Check To A Vendor

INSIDE-ERP has produced a short checklist that is worth the five minutes it will take to read.  Experience says that no successful implementation can be completed quickly, but if the solution is the right one, the time passes quickly and you ask yourself "Why did we wait so long to make this change?". 


This article's headline would tend to make you think otherwise if you ask some simple questions.  Regardless, the article questions are worth asking.  In fact there should be a long list of questions.  That is Dolvin's purpose in working with their clients.  We act as an independent advisor.  Yes, we have a preferred vendor, but we will also never recommend a solution that does not fit.  We actively refer our clients to other solutions if we cannot help.


A mid-market ERP solution purchase can be completed rapidly and successfully if you ask yourself and vendors the right questions.  

• What ERP modules to buy first and which ones can wait.
• Validating who should be involved in the purchase and implementation decision.
• Roles different departments and project stakeholders play.
• Pre-implementation decisions that must be made that will affect the whole project.
• SOA considerations and future needs such as training and software updates.

This article is a short two page document to review.  Some highlights that bear noting are:

• The checklist items that mention calculating the Return on Investment (ROI). 
• Who will be the project manager, i.e. "responsible". 
• Very important, what problems are you trying to solve, is it reasonable that this solution will solve your challenges. 
• How will you measure the results, again ROI. 
• What is needed and what is extra, could you wait to implement the extra modules later and save some startup costs? 
• Will the software address your needs or the software vendors? 
• Is there room for growth. 
• The solution should address at least five years of use at which point you either grow with the solution or you find another one that does. 
• Probably most important.  Does the solution cover training.  Without a proper implementation that includes training and support, your organization is headed for a period of extreme frustration.

Dolvin Consulting and their buisness partners Vormittag Associates (VAI) and IBM invest the time to make sure there is a good fit between your challenges and the solutions we offer.  We welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs.

Click here to have someone from Dolvin contact you.

7 Signs That Your Company Is Ready for an ERP Solution

7 Signs That Your Company Is Ready for an ERP Solution

Focus has created a quick list to review when considering an ERP solution.  Click on the link above for the PDF version of this information.

Dolvin helps companies identify and review their challenges.  We do not sell anything.  Our mission is to connect those with needs with the proper solution.  If we cannot do that we do our best to create a referral to someone who can.


Because of the benefits that ERP can bring, and the long period during which those benefits may manifest themselves, ERP implementation is always a strategic investment for an organization. Increased productivity, reduced operating expenses, improved information flow and enhanced performance management are some of the benefits that an organization can realize by implementing an appropriate ERP solution. On the other hand, huge unanticipated costs, enormous opportunity costs due to extended project time lines, and minimal ROI are some of the tribulations that an organization can get into without informed selection and well-planned implementation. Thus, the first and foremost thing is to identify whether your organization needs an ERP solution at all. We have listed below some of the business conditions that can help you make the decision. If an organization is experiencing one or more of the following business conditions, it is time to seriously consider implementing an ERP solution or replacing the current one:
 1. Fast and uncontrolled growth:

2. Lack of sufficient and accurate information on your company’s performance:

3. Consistent mismatch between inventories and production management:

4. Duplication of effort:

5. The right information is not accessible at the right time:

6. Little or no ability to forecast and plan:

7. Your current system is becoming obsolete:


Focus Research ©2009The existing enterprise system in your organization is no longer efficiently supporting your day-to-day processes and is negatively impacting the organization’s growth.Your organization’s strategic and planning division is not equipped to forecast and often relies on conventional methods for future projections.You are not able to access accurate data on stock in inventory, month-end sales figures, orders in transit and other required information on time.The finance and HR departments store and maintain employee details separately. Similar other instances of duplication exist in your company.There is a lack of coordination between sales order processing and inventory management in your organization. You are facing problems in capturing exact figures or are receiving mismatched data on your company’s performance indicators. Is your organization growing at a very fast pace? Your organization has recently opened multiple operational units/offices in multiple locations. There is significant increase in volumes of production, processes, and work force.

The Smart Choice- x86 Can Weigh You Down With Hidden Costs

The Smart Choice

x86 Can Weigh You Down With Hidden Costs

The Smart Choice | Power | IBM Systems Magazine

The January 2011 IBM System Magazine has an article highlighting how the computing platform that uses the x86 processor or equivalent has hidden costs.  As the article says, "You get what you pay for".

The article goes in to some detail about the hidden costs of the x86 platform versus the Power Systems/Iseries/I5/AS400 platform.  The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a generally understood concept, but identifying the actual cost metrics can be difficult. 

The power and performance of the new Power Systems is unmatched in the "business transactional computing" environment.  The system reliability (up time), server consolidation (maintenance, power supply and cooling, physical space), and performance are key metrics to start with.

Companies love this platform.  Once implemented a company may change their software, but will rarely change the hardware.  It is not perfect, but it is superior to the alternatives. 

If another processor based server is required the versatility of the Power System enables running other operating systems as a "guest" of the system.  Still reducing the hardware maintenance, while taking advantage of the resiliency of the system.


I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to read the full article by clicking the link at the top of this post.  For more information about how Dolvin uses this technology in their solutions provided by VAI, click the link below.

Dolvin Consulting