WHICH
ERP W
hen it is time to update your company software, chances are, you will know it. With a bustling industry and steady flow of orders coming in, efficient, easy-to-use enterprise resource planning
(ERP) software can improve the efficiency of your facil- ity. ERP is a computer-based management system that can integrate the many facets of a casting business. With all of the software available to the metalcast- ing industry and manufacturing in general, choosing an ERP system that fits your facility can be overwhelming.
Oil City Iron Works Inc., Corsicana, Texas
• Previous Software Program: Paper, no software system utilized.
• New ERP Software: ERP developed in-house. • Facility Employment: More than 260 employees. Oil City Iron Works is a green sand and nobake metalcasting
facility serving the end markets of oil, gas, mining and agricul- ture, to name a few. Te company began developing its own customized ERP system in 2006. Tough its previous method was paper-based, it involved intricate details that helped educate its customers and ensured it was including each and every piece that went into the casting process. Tough the system did not have any mechanical faults, the
company realized it needed more flexibility with its system and a way to quickly determine the effects of raw material price fluctuations on the casting price. A robust system could be used to justify surcharges passed on to its customers, as well.
30 | MODERN CASTING September 2012
Eric Meyers Sr. (right), chief executive officer of Oil City, runs the company with his son, current Oil City President Eric R. Meyers (left).
SYSTEM IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
When two metalcasting facilities decided to upgrade their ERP software, one chose in-house and the other chose to purchase. JILLIAN KNUERR, ASSISTANT EDITOR
While every facility uses different processes and alloys and creates different components, similarities in choos- ing a new ERP system can exist from plant to plant. For some facilities, creating a custom software system makes the most sense, while others will see better benefits with out-of-the-box software. How can you determine which road is the best for your facility? Read on for the journey of two metalcasting facilities, one
that chose to create and install its own software program and one that chose to purchase and install new ERP software. Both companies weigh in on the pros and cons that lead them in their choice for a new system.
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