FEATURE APPLICATIONS IN IRELAND
DRIVING EFFICIENCIES AT IRISH PRESSINGS
Describing how the software works
day-to-day, Campbell said: “There’s an employee section where registered users can access the information they need, for example, works order details, and we have a full view of what’s happening. It also helps us to show compliance; for example, an ISO customer wants to see if we have the ability to trace back parts. FactoryMaster MRP allows us to identify potentially defective components using the delivery note number, right back to what materials were used. It’s a complete closed loop.” There have also been clear cost-saving
benefits because the team is able to import the customer’s forecast to order precisely the right materials, therefore reducing waste. Before launching FactoryMaster MRP,
Established 13 years ago, Irish Pressings is a major supplier to the automotive industry, working with Tier 1 and 2 manufacturers and high-profile end- customers such as Honda, Rolls Royce, BMW and Land Rover. The County Donegal-based firm develops press tools, automotive components, prototypes and welded assemblies, shipping them across the UK and Europe
H
aving started with three members of staff, the firm’s workforce numbers
at around 70 today. Providing a ‘one- stop-shop’ service, customers send over their drawings, and parts are then reviewed for feasibility. The company can carry out full simulation and feasibility studies, and press tool design and full manufacture of press tools is carried out in-house. Its capabilities include waterjet and flame cutting, 2D and 3D machining, grinding, welding and wire erosion, as well as part testing including weld testing and simulation. Irish Pressings needed a flexible solution
that would allow it to manage a growing number of tasks and processes, helping to improve operational efficiency and ensure high levels of accuracy. The company has been using Access FactoryMaster MRP since 2010, and it has since seen significant commercial benefits. Irish Pressings had grown to such an extent that the team was juggling
22 AUGUST 2019 | IRISH MANUFACTURING
numerous spreadsheets for sales, purchasing, production and HR tasks. With so many systems to update, senior managers were acutely aware that daily processes had become time-consuming and carried the risk of human error. Investing in new software always requires
careful consideration, and Irish Pressings evaluated a number of options before choosing FactoryMaster MRP. Explaining more, Karen Campbell, sales and logistics manager, said: “It’s always hard to know if a product is going to be suitable, so it was great to get a demo from Access Group to show how it would work for us. We looked at a number of different solutions but FactoryMaster MRP was the best from a manufacturing perspective. It is a really versatile system, with so many modules that we can add as the business grows.” With FactoryMaster MRP in place, Irish
Pressings has consolidated all its data in one place and has achieved full visibility over every process.
Irish Pressings needed a flexible solution that would allow it to manage a growing number of tasks and processes
Irish Pressings had no rigorous system in place to capture data and drive efficiencies, nor measure performance, as Campbell said: "It is difficult to quantify the time and cost savings we have seen because we weren't able to measure them in the way that we can now. Just the fact that we now have accurate data on which to make decisions means that we can operate a much leaner business. “Another area that is hard to measure
– but crucial to a business like ours – is around traceability. By ensuring all parts meet quality and legal standards when they leave our site, we are able to build and maintain a reputation that wins us repeat and new business.” To take one example, the business can
save money by ordering 8.5 tonnes of materials, instead of estimating and ordering 10. There have also been less- tangible, but no less important, benefits including, general saving time, reducing the risk of error and safeguarding the company’s reputation. Last, but certainly not least, Campbell
added that FactoryMaster MRP has proved extremely easy for the workforce to use: “People have found it really straightforward to use – for me, it’s the ‘Favourites’ key and the fact that you can use ‘CTRL’ and ‘F’ keys to search for information. It doesn’t take long for anyone to get to grips with the system, which is a big bonus.”
Access Group
www.theaccessgroup.com/mrp
/ IRISHMANUFACTURING
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