Success story \\\ Manufacturing \\\
Quality is the driver Coordinated implementation
UEL to run MRP each time a new order is
strategy
entered. Bailey pointed out that a full MRP
Nathan Bailey, UEL’s operations manager, run that used to happen overnight now takes
identifies the growth in the company After the decision to invest in EFACS E/8, less than 15 minutes and “doesn’t kill the rest
as the single greatest business challenge. UEL embarked upon a coordinated of the system”.
“Our rapid growth has directly led to a implementation strategy. Bailey attributes a
huge expansion in our part numbers, key element of success to having a system
the need for complete product and part based on live data that everyone could
Success measured on
traceability and also some sophisticated access and experiment with prior to the
turnover and profit
configuration control. For example, our launch. “Everyone had an icon and login
smallest engine has 180 unique top line details to the system based on the original In a project-based business like UEL with
components but our BOM structure is data, and we found that people were natural peaks and troughs, it is hard to
14 levels deep and we already have in accessing the system in their own time to quantify specific benefits, which is why the
excess of 13,000 unique part numbers.” get familiar with it and to practice using it. company has a very firm adherence to
The changing nature of UEL’s market It massively helped reduce any sense of seeing success ultimately based on turnover
has also dramatically affected expected nervousness and fear of the system when and profit. “In this sense EFACS has clearly
delivery and project times, with products we actually went live.” had a huge impact on the company,” said
expected within 2-3 weeks – often much
less – and spares being required almost
ex-stock. With many parts being costly
and time consuming to make this can be
a considerable problem for companies
such as UEL, for whom quality is the
underlying driver in component selection,
rather than price.
“
Our product lines have
quadrupled and our turnover has
doubled – which simply could not
have happened with our previous
system which was struggling at its
limits with only half the current
turnover.”
– Nathan Bailey, UEL.
UEL had relied heavily on an in-house,
bespoke system written by a former
employee in 1991, but when the employee
left the company, UEL found itself exposed.
“We then had Sage for 18 months during
An example of a UAV engine, produced by UAV Engines Ltd.
which time it helped us realise we needed
a true, specialist manufacturing system,” UEL successfully went live with EFACS E/8 Bailey. “Our product lines have quadrupled
said Bailey. Several systems were in 2005, with the Document Management and our turnover has doubled – which simply
evaluated with the decision ultimately functionality proving especially useful in could not have happened with our previous
being taken to source EFACS E/8 from enabling all scanned paperwork in PDF system which was struggling at its limits with
Exel Computer Systems. Bailey explained format to follow the progress of an order only half the current turnover. We simply
the rationale behind the purchasing through the system. This instant access to couldn’t have got this far without EFACS,
decision. “I was most impressed by the information extends into every area where and what’s more the system is coping very
combination of technology and functionality. data is stored within EFACS – so much so comfortably with where we are as a company
The database backend, the familiarity of that UEL has suppliers and customers so we know it will facilitate considerable
a web browser, the ease of configuration, that will contact the company to check further growth.” circlesolid
the ease of using the ADAPT programming information because UEL can get it quicker
language to modify the system yourself, than they can from their own systems. “Even
all combined to make EFACS the clear the general manager has his EFACS window
choice for us.” UEL was also keen to work open so he can instantly see when an order
directly with Exel given previous negative comes in,” explained Bailey. When it comes
experiences working with resellers. to real time, the power of EFACS enables
www.logisticsit.com
MANUFACTURING
March 2010 &LOGISTICSIT
13
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