Material Requirements Planning (MRP) was developed during the 1970s as a computerised technique for exploding finished product plans into schedules for components and materials. However, many implementations led to significant difficulties and the originators, including Oliver Wight and Joe Orlicky, went back to the drawing board to address the issues.

MRPII is the all-embracing approach to planning and control that enables computerised scheduling to be effective. It is the framework of today’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Supply Chain systems and is a ‘system’ in the broadest sense of the word. It comprises a number of elements that integrate to enable a business to establish and maintain valid plans – and we have to remember that a plan this is not valid is hardly a plan! A plan is what we intend to do rather than what we would have liked to do had the world turned out differently.

The objective of this A6 sized pocket guide is to create a concise summary of what Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII) is all about, the elements that make it up, and what companies should do to implement it successfully. It describes such 'modules' of modern manufacturing systems as Master Production Scheduling, Material Requirements Planning and Capacity Requirements Planning and explains how we need to organise our people and processes to provide the foundations for the world class performance available from proper implementation of such systems.

Robin's booklet has notched up thousands of sales and is being purchased by manufacturing businesses, by educational establishments, by individuals and by bookshops. It is intended for everyone working in an MRPII, Supply Chain, or ERP environment, whether already in place, or at some stage of implementation. Everyone should have a copy - the steering committee, the project team, the task teams and all those impacted by an implementation- if they are going to understand the concepts behind the screens.

Price £4 (including packing & UK postage) - also discounts for bulk - please enquire

Other books and booklets available from MLG are:

Planning and Control of Engineer to Order (ETO) Manufacturing by Ian Henderson

Sales & Operations Planning by Robin Goodfellow

Planning and Control of Manufacturing Operations by John Kenworthy