Responsible ERP

Mary Ann Yerage, Purchasing Manager, Tells SYSPRO Users How SYSPRO ERP Has Facilitated Operational Efficiencies

SYSPRO, the leading global supplier of on-premise, cloud and mobile Business ERP Software for manufacturers and distributors, announced today that Mary Ann Yerage, Purchasing Manager, Gorant Chocolatier, took the podium at the SYSPRO “Simply Smarter” User Conference to relate how Gorant had achieved operational efficiencies utilizing SYSPRO ERP.

Yerage told the group how Gorant, once part of a large greeting card company, was sold to a private ownership group, forcing Gorant to seek new operational software. Noting the stringent FDA traceability requirements among other necessary controls, she related how the company chose SYSPRO ERP based on the software’s excellent reputation in the food industry.

Indicating a fast implementation, Yerage outlined the efficiencies SYSPRO ERP has facilitated. Referencing costing accuracy and labor tracking, she noted that the company is now aware of actual costs. Yerage also spoke about the superior inventory management SYSPRO ERP has made possible. “We have better visibility of inventory, know the location of all raw materials and the ability to see manufacturing and retail quantities in one system,” she said. She also noted that SYSPRO ERP has enabled better demand planning and forecasting with the sales information for all business channels in one easily accessed location. While manufacturing needs used to be calculated manually or on spreadsheets, now, she said the company is able to efficiently manufacture up to 250 bulk chocolates on an everyday basis including their individual wrappings and placement into boxed assortments. Referring to FDA traceability requirements, Yerage exclaimed that in the most recent 3rd party QA audit, using SYSPRO ERP Lot Traceability functionality , Gorant was able to trace product and code in less than 45 minutes.

What’s ahead for Gorant? Yerage noted that SYSPRO ERP will be integrated with one of the company’s private label accounts, “facilitating forecasting and business to business synchronization. We have other private label accounts also expressing interesting in SYSPRO software, which will give us another advantage in not only securing, but maintaining these accounts when putting this integration in place,” she said.
Concluding, Yerage noted: “SYSPRO serves our current needs and has the technology in place to allow us to grow our business, especially in the private label area.”

SYSPRO is the leading supplier of ERP software to mid-market manufacturers and distributors. SYSPRO has more than 14,500 licensed customers in over 60 countries around the globe. For more information on SYSPRO, or to schedule a consultation on how we can better serve you, please visit here.

 

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SYSPRO Software has Enhanced Operational Efficiencies Resulting in a 300% Increase in New Market Growth, Doubling of Revenue with Same Headcount; OEM Business Increase of 500%

SYSPRO, the leading global supplier of on-premise, cloud and mobile Business ERP Software for manufacturers and distributors, announced today that the SYSPRO User Conference in Nashville, Tenn., was addressed by Mike Conklin of Bodypoint.

“In many ways, Bodypoint embodies the spirit of continuous improvement that animates many progressive manufacturing companies,” stated Conklin, Technical Process Manager of the Washington-based manufacturer of wheelchair positioning equipment and power chair accessories. Conklin was referencing the company’s implementation of SYSPRO Enterprise Resource Planning software that has precipitated company growth, leaned operations and enabled Bodypoint to successfully compete in new markets.

Bodypoint, in fact, noted Conklin, was the recent winner of a Manufacturing Leadership award for adopting and implementing new practices that boosted sales in new markets by more than 300%, established cost-efficiencies and dramatically elevated customer service.

Conklin explained, “Bodypoint had established a presence serving domestic and international dealers and distributors but was missing a significant opportunity selling its products to the OEM manufacturers of wheelchairs. In that market,” he said, “customer demands are more exacting, and operational flexibility is critical to success. To win in that market, Bodypoint had to restructure its operations and the IT system that supported them.”

Specifically, Bodypoint wanted to grow its OEM business. But Conklin noted that the prospective customers demanded more agility than the incumbent, five, non-integrated systems in use at the company could muster. A number of the systems, in fact, were also incapable of expansion, among many other shortcomings. He explained: “Our old systems were pretty disconnected . . . they were problematic and limited. A lot of work around was necessary, since the systems couldn’t function the way our customers were requiring. We knew we needed more horsepower.” “So,” he said, “the company reached out to Impact Washington, a local, non-profit organization that works to help make manufacturers in the state become more globally competitive.”

Impact Washington studied existing Bodypoint business practices and interviewed company personnel. Conklin reflected, “In order for Impact Washington to suggest the kind of system that would meet our needs ‘down the road,’ we first had to figure out what road we wanted to go down!” Subsequently, Bodypoint enlisted an expert in Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) to help company management conduct an evaluation procedure.

While several ERP solutions were studied, SYSPRO ERP was short listed and out of three finalists was the choice for Bodypoint. “The SYSPRO solution had outstanding references, was very flexible and user-friendly and, most importantly, was a single source solution, not a kluge of third party packages,” noted Conklin. “When the software implementation was completed, all Bodypoint departments were totally integrated under ‘one IT umbrella,’ including, sales, accounting, manufacturing, purchasing, inventory and shipping. With all the company’s departments together under one IT umbrella, company management had the ability to make rapid, effective decisions utilizing real-time data,” stated Conklin.

Conklin referenced a major problem that had existed prior to the adoption of the new software. “Before SYSPRO the only way we could build product was to make it and store it on the shelf or make it to stock. In addition to performing the sewing of goods, we have final assembly here, including packaging into many different configurations. We would keep stock of all items and configurations on the shelf and wait for a sales order to come in to move it. So, our inventory grew and grew as we tried to meet more and more of the customer needs and how they wanted our products combined. Our finish goods grew off the charts simply because we had to have every possible configuration on hand . . . that’s the only way our system would work. Also, some products would never sell, something that Impact Washington identified right away. However, now with SYSPRO we wait for the sales order — that being the point where the packaging occurs, similar to the way computers are customized today when the order comes in.

“The [SYSPRO ERP] system now allows us to be much leaner and much more flexible. We can deliver product in a way the customer wants it. We can offer complex pricing and discounting methods. We can resolve compliance issues using ECC [SYSPRO Engineering Change Control]. We have deeper integration and visibility with our processes. Integrated accounting has reduced errors and increased capacity. Our reporting has greatly improved, and our shipping is more accurate, adding customer value with shipping notifications through the SYSPRO integrated shipping solution.”

He continued: “Our business processes have become automated with improvements in deliverables. We now have historical sales data for sales analysis and can build custom reports and metrics through SYSPRO reporting services. International markets require complex product instructions in multiple languages by unique product, and SYSPRO allows us to print product instructions for packaging on demand by product and country. Best of all,” he interjected, “the software has helped the company to enhance operational efficiencies resulting in a 300% increase in new market growth, a growth of 500% percent in OEM business, now a third of the company’s revenue, and an overall revenue increase of 100% without the need to add headcount.”

SYSPRO is the leading supplier of ERP software to mid-market manufacturers and distributors. SYSPRO has more than 14,500 licensed customers in over 60 countries around the globe. For more information on SYSPRO, or to schedule a consultation on how we can better serve you, please visit here.

 

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This weekend, Team SYSPRO USA is supporting local business networking by exhibiting at the Natural Products Expo West Show at the Anaheim Convention Center. Stop by our booth to take advantage of a free business consultation with an ERP expert! Schedule your time slot now and we will show you first-hand how SYSPRO ERP can help your business boost efficiencies, save money and improve your bottom-line. And, just for scheduling and attending a SYSPRO demo, you’ll receive a $25 gift card* to Starbucks!

You can find us at booth 1956 in Hall B at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA Friday, March 8th- Sunday March 10th.

Click here to sign up!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

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