Metal-Tech Partners

The Company: Metal-Tech Partners

Founded in 1992, Metal-Tech Partners (MTP) has rapidly grown from a telecommunications product supplier to a multi-million-dollar business providing custom manufactured and fabricated parts and services to the international telecom industry. This includes meeting exacting specifications for thousands of products ranging from racks, bays, and cabinets to pipe stands and support grids.

“If the product is not onsite, we’ll make it,” said Caleb Wolf, IT and plant manager, MTP. ​“We pride ourselves on the ability to meet customer needs quickly, accurately, and at the most competitive price in the industry. Our overriding goal is to lead the industry with high-quality products provided at the lowest possible costs and with the fastest turnaround times.”

The Situation: End-to-End Scalability

A major component of the MTP strategy is to employ the latest technologies at every company level. Most recently, this involved replacing MTP’s legacy software program with the Epicor ERP Cloud solution. The modular system provides end-to-end scalability and flexibility designed to meet demanding manufacturing industry needs. It also shares data across applications, eliminating the need for separate applications, spreadsheets, and ​“one-off” processes. New information and changes are also immediately propagated through the system — providing up-to-date customer, operational, and financial visibility across the organization.

“We’re a small company,” explained Wolf. ​“We just don’t have the resources to constantly upgrade our systems every year. Epicor was the best choice in the marketplace. It’s advanced but doesn’t feel advanced. Security, reliability, functionality, and cost were our prime concerns. Epicor met all these criteria. We don’t even have to think about it. We just know it’s going to do its job.”

Challenges

• Lead the industry with high-quality products provided at the lowest possible costs and with the fastest turnaround times

The Solution: Epicor ERP

Quantifiable metrics were among the many benefits supplied to MTP by Epicor. As opposed to its prior program, which could only provide detailed analytics at the end of each month, Epicor increased operational efficiencies by supplying production information daily or even hourly. This allowed MTP to carefully track and review the time spent by every employee on projects.

“Many companies worry about time and part tracking,” offered Wolf. ​“This is no longer a concern for us. Epicor has eliminated the need for paper trials. All employees have to do is log in and concentrate on quality and production quantities. The system tracks everything else, including the amount of material used. As a result, we can now better control inventory and predict shortages well before supplies are depleted.”

The Results: Epicor ERP Implementation Benefits

According to Wolf, MTP also relied far too much on employees coordinating with sales staff and management regarding customer purchases. Today, complete client profiles are available ²⁴⁄₇ through Epicor. As a result, the ability to track orders from production through shipping has been greatly enhanced, enabling sales personnel to better inform customers about expected delivery dates rather than using their best guess.

Previously, MTP needed two systems to handle time tracking and payroll. Epicor combined both functions while improving labor efficiencies and creating cost savings by tracking labor variances. The time spent on each job is meticulously recorded to ensure the right charge is applied to each invoice. Consequently, time overages are reviewed internally with employees to enhance production efforts.

“We now have the capability to generate detailed reports daily,” added Erinn Wolff, human resources and office manager, MTP. ​“Our financials, receivables, and payroll all run far smoother through Epicor. We’re constantly retrieving data as the work is being performed. We’re even invoicing customers the same day we’re physically shipping items. This has certainly helped balance the books and increase cash flow.”

Benefits

• Operate more efficiently by accessing production information on a daily or even hourly basis

• Can track and review the time spent by every employee on projects

• Eliminated paper trails so workers can focus on production 

• Better inventory control and prediction of shortages before supplies are depleted