November 6, 2013 - ARC Advisory Group released its PLC/PAC Control System supplier selection guide. The guide includes both selection criteria and guided workflow steps to help in choosing the controllers and/or system that best meets specific current and future site needs. The scope of the criteria allows for a user to identify and rate the importance of specific functionality required by an individual site or manufacturing company, whether it is a controller for a robotic packaging machine, high speed cutting machinery, integration with the current installed base of controls or business systems, or a migration strategy for an entire plant. It allows those involved in the selection to make quicker and improved decisions to meet the exact control and business requirements.
The ARC STAR Supplier Evaluation and Selection Service guides users through a step-by-step process selecting and evaluating suppliers and their products against specific application and industry requirements. The process guides the user through the project and team definition, reviewing and editing ARC-provided selection criteria and supplier questions, weighing selection criteria, developing a supplier Request for Information (RFI) list, evaluating supplier responses, and developing a final ranking of RFI results. ARC STAR then fully documents the process and results for management review and approval. ARC STAR helps ensure inclusive, fact-based, impartial supplier evaluations and selections, free of the user bias issues that typically hamper these activities.
In addition, ARC estimates that ARC STAR can reduce the cost and effort of a supplier selection process by well over 50 percent. The selection guide was authored by John Blanchard. John has been covering the consumer packaged goods and life sciences industries for over 30 years. John has served on the board of directors of WBF – The Organization for Production Technology and OMAC – The Organization for Machine Automation and Control.
About ARC Advisory Group:
ARC Advisory Group is the leading market research and advisory firm for industry and infrastructure. Business and IT executives around the world depend on ARC for coverage of technology from automation and business systems to product and asset lifecycle management, supply chain management, logistics, operations management, controls and control elements. ARC is the “go-to” market research and technology analysis firm for their companies. ARC analysts have the industry knowledge and first-hand experience to help clients find the best answers.
