It's no surprise that supply chains are growing in complexity as manufacturers across all industries, including apparel, continue to globalize to reduce costs and expand their market. Typically, supplier information is managed in a Supply Chain Management (SCM) or Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) system where information is maintained for products that are in production or even in a prototype phase. Information at this phase of a product's lifecycle allows manufacturers to determine production costs, delivery dates and analyze supplier performance.

However, many manufacturers are now implementing ways to gather and analyze information earlier in the product lifecycle, during the planning and design/development phases. Taking action at this point allows manufacturers to view potential delivery and cost issues, avoid poor product design decisions, and reduce development time. This is where Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) comes in.

PLM technology, at its core, provides a centralized environment to manage all product associated information from concept through obsolescence. PLM takes a comprehensive approach to managing design and development data with a platform to exchange information with various systems such as ERP and SCM. New product ideas and redesigns as well as new part requests originate in the PLM system, and workflow processes allow the appropriate personnel to provide input (approval, disapproval and other suggestions) before these items can move to the next stage of their lifecycle.

With the growing emphasis that manufacturers are placing on analyzing supplier performance and reducing costs and risks, leveraging PLM technology to drive this analysis earlier in a product's lifecycle is a key component to ensuring the success of a product…and sometimes the company itself.