Released on May 1, 2008

Intermet Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, has launched a series of information technology (IT) projects it hopes will improve operations.

The portfolio of almost 100 IT projects is intended to make data more available and standardize the IT infrastructure within its plant, administrative and sales operations. The IT infrastructure also will be upgraded to support updated applications and services.
 
“The execution of this strategy will unify IT across the organization, allow us to be more efficient and exchange information faster,” said Greg Buxkemper, Intermet’s director of IT. The projects will be undertaken over the next three years and span the Ferrous, Die Cast and PCPC business groups, he said.

Intermet’s Columbus, Ga., facility was the first to implement shop floor data collection technology, which it is now expanding for use in Lynchburg and Radford, Va., and Hibbing, Minn. Similar efforts are underway in the company’s diecasting facilities. Those projects will expand the use of a process monitoring system to drive uptime improvements. Another set of projects will digitize and automate the delivery of work instructions and quality notes to shop floor employees.

The strategy also includes equipping Intermet’s sales force with new tools and a customer relationship management system that will allow associates to spend more time collaborating with current and potential customers. The company’s financial systems also will be consolidated into a single platform, allowing better integration with customer systems.