New tech platform seeks to mine supply chain data for insights
ZAG Technical Services, a San Jose, Calif.-based IT consulting firm and security provider for ag, food and beverage companies, has released a new tool called Syncrova.
The tech solution is designed to help companies across the supply chain access and use the data they are already generating to glean analytics, according to a news release.
“Agribusiness moves fast and simply doesn’t have the weeks and months of time needed or the staffing overhead to effectively manage data in traditional systems,” Thuan Ngo, ZAG vice president of data and software services, said in the release.
Syncrova leverages data collected by Famous Software, an agricultural enterprise resource planning system as well as other ERPs from the fields, packing lines, warehouses, logistics and shipping. The tool organizes and delivers this data, ready to be mined for actionable insights. Notable highlights of the new tool include its accessible price point, sweeping system compatibility, ease of use, and speed to data, according to the release.
“Data is a valuable asset that can drive revenue and reduce costs, thereby improving margins,” Ngo said. “Not leveraging the data you generate and own is equivalent to purchasing the latest modernized equipment and never using it.”
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According to a North Carolina State University report, by 2025 the average farm is expected to generate over 1 million data points per day. While some agribusinesses use advanced technology and data, others have yet to harness the opportunity.
What companies do with their data can vary greatly. ZAG says it identified repeated challenges among Famous ERP users preventing them from fully employing their data to make decisions, the release said.
“In our research, we chose to start with the Famous platform because of its widespread use in the industry, and we found common themes in the trials users reported and the information they wished they could leverage,” Ngo said. “So, we developed a solution that addressed all of them.”
With cost and usability often top concerns among tech solutions, Syncrova was designed with an eye and an ear to the feedback from ERP users, the release said. It requires no system overhaul and is currently compatible with the Famous ERP system, plus the tool is being fit to integrate with additional ERPs, according to the release.
“ZAG understands the price pressures on food production and the role that tech plays in optimizing food production,” Greg Gatzke, ZAG president and founder, said in the release. “We have a passion and deep understanding of this industry. Technology is the engine that drives competitive advantage today. The use of the data resulting from these technologies will drive efficiency and make companies more competitive. Syncrova will enable the mining of information out of the data that companies have in their hands today.”
