Reality checks open new doors

Around 2002, with turnover of about £3m, the company realised that its production scheduling had to change. Geddes' managing director Kenny Falconer says that the firm had a Merlin Software Caliburn ERP system, used for bills of materials and component sizing, but used white boards for scheduling. "As orders increased, there came the time when we were in danger of losing control. We had no reliable visibility. Everything we do needs to be driven by delivery date, and it was critical that we continued to honour these dates as accurately as possible, regardless of how busy we were." Falconer soon focused on Preactor reseller, RMS. "What RMS and Preactor offered stood out like a shining star. After preliminary discussions and particularly after the demo, I realised that Preactor 300 was the ideal scheduling solution." Implementation began early in 2003: configuration took two days, with RMS on-site, and over the following weeks, adjustments took place via email and phone. Training amounted to Falconer sitting with RMS staff for two days, and he says: "By the afternoon of the second day I was in the chair using the system." Now, two of them run the system, with RMS providing support and service. Initially, Geddes used the system simply to flag late orders and facilitate remedial action, while also providing accurate delivery date information for order enquiries. Since then, however, the company has extended its use to deal with problems like bottlenecks and production sequences, optimising work-to lists according to orders and production mix. Now, Falconer says he uses the system to spot potential problems well ahead of time – and that's both around materials and labour. He particularly rates the 'what if' functionality. "From a business planning point of view, [it] allows us to see immediately what we would have to do to get production levels up comfortably, without any major constraints." Cost of sourcing Preactor 300, including consultancy and training, amounted to £10,000. "Within six months we had recouped the investment, simply by keeping orders flowing, achieving specified lead times, and being able to schedule in more orders within a quicker time frame due to the increased scheduling efficiency." Another contributing factor has been in Preactor's ability to help Geddes be up-front with prospective customers when, through running 'what ifs', the company realises it can't meet a tight lead time. "The important thing for us is to keep promised orders flowing and on schedule," says Falconer. "The alternative can easily be a scheduling routine that quickly falls into chaos, with everyone on the shopfloor trying to achieve the impossible." Key benefits

• ROI achieved within six months
• Better order flow n Promised lead times now achieved
• Increased order taking capacity
• Greatly improved customer service