A Little History

Rocky Smolin, the creator of E-Z-MRP, has made a career out of both writing from scratch and managing the implementation of proprietary Material Requirements Planning systems. These systems were very expensive, took a long time to implement, and required networks of terminals and computers as they integrated several functional areas of a manufacturing firm. So it took a sizeable company to afford an MRP system.

Then, with the advent of the personal computer, Rocky began to wonder why one couldn’t develop an MRP system for small companies. He had this idea that if the user interface were simplified, the data inputs organized, and the reports that were generated were easy to run and read, then anyone who could run a small manufacturing company could implement and run MRP successfully, even if they had no background in either computers or manufacturing systems.

Since many companies were investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in systems (which often failed after a couple of years of frustration), the idea was widely regarded as impractical and unworkable.

Nevertheless, in 1984 the first DOS-based, single-user version of E-Z-MRP was released. Several hundred users later, in six countries and five languages, the point had been made.

Any company, no matter how small, from start-up to $20 million and beyond, could successfully install and run E-Z-MRP. MRP was no longer the province of large companies. An article that appeared in the November 1993 issue of Managing Automation magazine summed up nicely the philosophy behind E-Z-MRP (click here to see a reprint of the article).

In 2004, E-Z-MRP was re-released - this time written in Microsoft’s Access Database Management System, a component of the popular Microsoft Office Suite – with full network-ready, multi-user capability.

But its objective is still the same. Combining Microsoft’s proven technology with E-Z-MRP’s proven approach to MRP success, any company, no matter how small, can successfully run a professional, full-featured MRP system.

As part of the acquisition in 2013 of E-Z-MRP by Weeks Software Solutions, LLC of Meridian Idaho. Rocky Smolin has agreed to work closely with Weeks Software Solutions, LLC to consult on new technology, and to oversee customer satisfaction.

Leaders in Automation Reprint