Visiprise

About Visiprise

In the complex world of discrete manufacturing, a Georgia-based company named Visiprise carved out a critical niche. Led by President and CEO Sean McCloskey, the company developed manufacturing execution system (MES) software. This software gave companies a way to plan, control, and analyze their factory floor operations in a single, integrated environment. Essentially, Visiprise provided the connective tissue between a company's high-level enterprise resource planning (ERP) and the actual, real-time work happening on the production line. Their focus on specific industries like aerospace, defense, automotive, and high-tech manufacturing won them over 60 global customers, including major players like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The company’s journey took a significant turn through its relationship with the enterprise software giant, SAP. The partnership began around 2005, and in November 2006, Visiprise received an investment from the global SAP NetWeaver Fund. This was a clear signal of a tightening alliance. The playbook here was one of deep integration; Visiprise wasn't just a complementary product, it was becoming a core part of SAP's "Perfect Plant" strategy, which aimed to create a seamless link from the top floor to the shop floor. The culmination of this strategy came in June 2008, when SAP announced its intention to acquire Visiprise for an undisclosed sum, a deal that was completed in July of that year. For SAP, the acquisition was a strategic move to bring a crucial piece of the manufacturing process in-house, strengthening its offerings against competitors. For Visiprise, the acquisition was the final chapter of its story as an independent company, seeing its technology integrated into SAP's global platform as 'SAP Manufacturing Execution'.