Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. announced recent technology initiatives designed to drive business efficiency and enhanced customer service. The company currently uses solutions from i2 Technologies, Inc., and recently began implementing solutions from Steelman Software Solutions Inc. These technology upgrades to the company's computerized planning, order management, mill scheduling and production tracking tools are designed to help gain a competitive edge.

Working together with Steelman, Wheeling-Pittsburgh will implement Steel Enterprise Management Systems^(R) (SEMS^(R)) to replace several discrete, less capable mainframe-based systems that Wheeling-Pittsburgh has used for many years. Steelman captures and remembers metallurgical specifications of the customer order, prices orders, compares customer deliveries to current contracts, provides claims management and tracks production to outside processors and warehouses.

Wheeling-Pittsburgh also uses solutions from i2 Technologies. The i2 Factory Planner and Hot Mill Scheduler are currently being used to enhance the company's corporate order planning and scheduling processes. Wheeling-Pittsburgh will also utilize i2 solutions to manage the scheduling processes of its cold rolling and finishing operations.

"Our strategy was to identify applications which best fit our manufacturing configuration and user needs," said Jeff Hoffman, Director of Systems Integration, Wheeling-Pittsburgh. "Using that approach we have made major strides toward a significantly more efficient and intuitive set of tools for our sales, planning and operations groups."

Wheeling-Pittsburgh has been working with Steelman Software Solutions since March. As part of the phased introduction of the various computer systems, a prototype was built and tested to ensure the new software met the company's requirements.

"Our technology initiatives have delivered benefits from improved booking and scheduling processes in our Hot Mill," said Don Keaton, Vice President—Steelmaking and Procurement, Wheeling-Pittsburgh. "More importantly, we have laid the foundation for an integrated and user-friendly system that will give our employees the tools to provide world class customer service."

Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. is a metal products company with approximately 3100 employees. It has facilities in Steubenville, Mingo Junction, Yorkville and Martins Ferry, Ohio; Beech Bottom and Follansbee, W.Va.; and Allenport, Pa.