Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP Case Study: The Metalworking Group

The Metalworking Group (MWG) is a full-scale design and metal manufacturer known for producing everything from small component parts to large structural fabrications. At any given time, the company has 2,500 open, custom-made component orders for a wide array of customers.

The Challenge

MWG had been using a combination of a legacy system and Excel-based processes for inventory management, including shop floor planning and scheduling. But with the high volume of engineered and unique items it was manufacturing across multiple industries, it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage these processes while meeting customers’ high expectations for on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery.

MWG needed a fully integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to eliminate challenges the business was facing, including:

• Cumbersome manual planning and scheduling processes

• Lack of business-wide visibility

• Difficulty meeting delivery dates

The Solution

MWG selected Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP to gain visibility into operations, improve material management, streamline scheduling and increase customer satisfaction.

Aptean's ERP for discrete and industrial manufacturers delivers sophisticated planning and scheduling tools that empower users to create more accurate and dependable plans, efficiently incorporate job schedules into enterprise operations, monitor execution and respond quickly to unplanned events.

Doug Watts, CEO of The Metalworking Group commented, “Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP has enabled our growth as a business. We’ve been able to scale up quickly and easily, with revenue increasing four-fold since implementing the system.”

The Results

Since implementing the software, MWG has seen dramatic improvements in operational efficiency and turnaround time.

• Automated shop floor planning and scheduling

• OTIF rates increased by 11%

• Visibility into operations

• Revenue increased four-fold since implementation

MWG unlocked the following benefits with Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP:

Optimized Scheduling

The Advanced Scheduling module of Aptean’s discrete manufacturing ERP leverages state-of-the-art scheduling algorithms and real-world capacity, material and time constraints, empowering MWG to efficiently prioritize, sequence and schedule job operations.

This takes the guesswork out of production planning and scheduling, ensuring that MWG is efficiently utilizing shop floor resources and that every machine and employee is doing precisely what they are supposed to be doing at any given time. In a nutshell, less time is wasted, and more products are created.

Improved Visibility

The Aptean system also enables MWG to keep the entire organization in sync by sharing real-time information across a shared database. With the old spreadsheet-based method, it had been challenging to track and manage normal job operations—let alone special requests or scheduling changes.

For example, if there was an order that needed to be expedited, someone had to note it within the Excel sheet, separately communicate those needs to the team, and track the order manually as it made its way through production. But now, users can input the requirements into the Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP, which will automatically push it out on the schedule while alerting all key personnel and managers.

Increased OTIF

By leveraging Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP solution, MWG was able to drive process change, increase overall shop floor visibility and efficiency and improve on-time delivery from 75% to 86% in less than one year. In addition, the business is now able to easily track orders from quote, right through to delivery.

“Though 11% may not seem like a huge number, the reality of going from 75% to 86% is huge. It’s a big jump, and it’s really meaningful to us,” said Watts.

Ready to Forge Success With Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP?

In busy industrial and discrete manufacturing environments every minute, machine, person and raw material matters to keep your business running profitably. That’s why outdated systems and manual processes just won’t cut it.

Instead, you need advanced ERP software that’s designed for the unique challenges that discrete manufacturers face. With specialized features and automated processes, Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP helps you:

• Increase visibility and collaboration

• Boost productivity and cut costs

• Enhance customer service and boost profitability

If you’re ready to streamline your end-to-end process, maximize throughput and make smarter strategic decisions, get in touch with our team of experts today to schedule your personalized demo of Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP.