What issue or pain point needed to be addressed?

Prestage Foods was using an older plant floor datacollection system that was heavily customized toPrestage’s processes. While that system had servedthe plant’s needs, it was outdated and did not have apath for upgrading.Prestage was also building a pork plant in Eagle Grove,Iowa. They believed the timing was right to upgradetheir plant floor data collection system and find thecorrect MES/WMS system for their new plant.Prestage Foods wanted to find an experiencedsolutions provider that could meet the requirementsfor both the turkey and pork processing plants.

Why did they have this problem?

The previous plant software provider did not have theability to upgrade their software to a more currentplatform. Prestage Foods had a hard time gettingsupport for their old system because the softwareprovider developed the system without a clear visionor path for how their customizations might be carriedforward and serviced in the future.

What were the client’s expected outcomes fromworking with a vendor?

Prestage Foods was looking for a vendor to come inand do a complete “rip and replacement” of their oldplant floor software and hardware system. While theyexpected to completely overhaul their system, theydid not want to change or affect the overall processflow of the plant.

Why did they engage Carlisle Technology to help?

Prestage was introduced to Carlisle as they werelooking for a solution provider for their new porkplant, Prestage Foods of Iowa. After selecting Carlisleas the front-runner for this new plant, Prestagedecided to reduce their risk by testing the newsoftware in their existing turkey plant first. This woulddemonstrate that Carlisle was capable of providingcomplex solutions, as well as providing Prestage anopportunity to learn Carlisle’s software capabilities.

How did Carlisle Technology approach the challenge?

They gathered detailed requirements from Prestage (documentation + process-flow examples), then Carlisle’s software team produced mockup screens and flow charts. Carlisle also presented a complete project timeline with deliverables and completion dates, held weekly project-management check-ins with Prestage to review progress and timelines, and—during development—worked on product files, label format design support, and hardware assembly/sourcing/manufacturing as a full system integrator.

How was the client involved in this stage?

Prestage Foods worked closely with Carlisle throughout the process. Their main plant project champion was in daily contact with the implementation team, answering questions, providing feedback, and performing field testing—this close collaboration was described as a key factor in the project’s success.

What was the solution?

The solution included multiple components: a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for production insight and job control; a Manufacturing Orders application (since Prestage didn’t use an ERP) to create/send/pause/modify/remove orders to scales; enhancements to “PLU by Weight” so the scale auto-selects the correct PLU based on predetermined weight ranges and prints labels once settled; an application to sort birds into boxes by sort code (scanning labels, tallying net weight, and auto-generating carton labels when full); and a new Order Management application for office users to track and manage orders end-to-end (add/modify/pick/stage/ship) in a single place. The overall design was driven by the requirement to avoid changing operators’ daily workflow while adding improved functionality.

What was the timeline?

Prestage aimed to be fully installed and operational before peak operations in October. The MES and plant-floor scale software went live by mid-September. The warehouse-management portion was too complex to complete before peak season, so both teams agreed to defer that second half; Carlisle and Prestage’s project champion used the busy season to finish report modifications, tailoring, and quality control, then completed the remaining installation the following spring after everything was vetted and tested.

Did the solution solve the client’s stated problem?

Carlisle and Prestage Foods successfully migrated Prestage Foods from their old plant floor data collection system onto Carlisle’s current Symphony Software platform. Not only was the old system replaced completely, but Symphony was able to accommodate all the required modifications so as to not alter the plant’s daily process flow. Finally, Prestage Foods is on a platform that is fully supported 24/7 and has an upgrade path moving forward so that they won’t be stuck with outdated software in the future.

What were the keys to the successful implementation of the project?

This was a very complex project with a lot of potential pitfalls. The most important key to the successful implementation of this project was Prestage Foods’ complete dedication to seeing the solution successfully installed. Prestage Foods worked closely together with Carlisle Technology through every phase of the project. Their dedicated project champion was excellent at providing onsite testing and feedback before the solution went live.

What immediate and long-term benefits did the client see because of the solution?

The immediate benefit to Prestage Foods is that they are now fully covered by 24/7 support on a current software platform. This software platform is upgradeable with a path towards continuous improvements and application growth. The system is more robust and offers more in-depth data collection than what was available with the previous system. Due to the success of the project, Carlisle Technology and Prestage Foods have built a long-term partnership. Prestage Foods of Iowa ended up awarding Carlisle Technology the opportunity to provide their Symphony Plant Floor Productivity and Traceability Suite to the brand new pork plant in Eagle Grove, Iowa. This project was a success!