“ISE is very responsive to our business needs and does a great job at communicating what they’re learning from Infor. They keep us updated on offerings and software that we can leverage in our business.”
Jeffery Jones, Corporate Director of IT
What Wasn't Working
In 1998, the legacy, home-grown system that MetalTek was using at the time was not Y2K compliant. Operating with four autonomous divisions, each with its own profit center, MetalTek was operating in silos. It was not a dedicated corporate solution. In addition, the legacy system was unable to expand to meet MetalTek’s developing needs. When support for their dated system ended, MetalTek executives made the decision to start exploring new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.
Choosing a Best-Fit Solution and Provider
With previous IT proficiencies and an overall good experience using IBM iSeries, MetalTek began looking for an ERP that would be founded on this operating system. The inter-departmental work that is required through the casting and assembly of metalwork meant that MetalTek also needed a system that could easily track orders and sales by project across multiple company divisions.
Beyond tracking, MetalTek needed an ERP that was flexible enough to adapt to their growing business – and a partner to help customize that solution to fit their needs.
It was through word-of-mouth that MetalTek was first introduced to ISE, who came highly recommended. ISE’s good reputation, paired with their ability to execute every phase of an ERP project – from sales to purchasing, implementation, process customization, and support – led to MetalTek’s final decision to partner with them.
Smooth Planning/Implementation
With the customizations available with the Infor XA solution and IBM iSeries platform, MetalTek was able to bring in subject matter experts from various departments – including accounting, purchasing, engineering, and beyond – to help tailor the solution and consolidate operations.
The Engineering Toolbox application was also designed to provide calculated cast estimates, which streamlined a high-volume job casting process. By leveraging information directly from Infor XA in the application, which resides outside the ERP itself, MetalTek engineering and sales teams were able to more accurately estimate custom metal projects and improve project quotes to clients.
Overall, the project was executed on time and on budget, a feat that was achieved through ISE’s dedicated collaboration with MetalTek specialists.
An ERP that has Evolved with MetalTek
As a robust package, Infor XA has allowed MetalTek to run its largest divisions through one single business solution and eliminate the need for multiple autonomous systems – like accounting and purchasing systems. This has allowed MetalTek to reduce operational expenses, keep reoccurring costs down to a minimum, and gain more control over systems.
Since its initial implementation, MetalTek has undergone a great deal of expansion, growing from four divisions in early 2000 to ten divisions spread throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. With the help of ISE experts, the Infor XA system is MetalTek’s corporate, connected, and international ERP solution.
How ISE and Infor XA Continue to Help MetalTek Succeed
ISE has helped MetalTek design the Infor XA ERP to harness the power of data analysis and more easily meet customer demands. This has improved the profitability of the organization overall and is a key factor in the success of MetalTek’s Engineering Toolbox estimating system, which can now estimate the value of the raw materials and labor needed to create custom metal manufactured items. With the ability to better understand the cost and historical pricing, MetalTek has been able to better quote competitively.
By consolidating environments, MetalTek execs are also starting to see the benefits of running streamlined processes. Users among various divisions are taking advantage of the enhanced collaboration offered by Infor XA. “We are starting to see users among the divisions help each other,” Jeffrey Jones explained. “We are starting to be more of a solution for our customers and do more for them. Our ability to track projects at the divisions where Infor XA is implemented helps tremendously.”
Discover how our team can help your business design a perfect-fit, enterprise-grade solution that will support and improve operations for years to come. Reach out to an ISE expert today!
