Advanced Dynamics

The Company: About Advanced Dynamics

Located in St. Bruno, Quebec, Advanced Dynamics is a management-owned company of 140+ employees that focuses on engineering, designing, and manufacturing custom heavy duty material handling systems. It designs and builds custom material handling systems for both the pulp and paper industry and the primary metals industry. Established in 1965, it has grown into a well-known player in the paper and pulp industries worldwide. The company also has offices in France and a manufacturing plant in India.

The Situation: Increase Communication

For Advanced Dynamics communication between departments and double data entry were two major issues, similar to many engineer-to-order (ETO) companies, leading to their decision to source an ERP solution. 

In ETO companies it is especially important to streamline the Bill of Materials (BOM) process from engineering to purchasing and receiving. What Advanced Dynamics lacked was the ability to create a feedback loop for when materials were required, purchased, and delivered. An increase in communication amongst departments was pertinent in order to avoid purchasing mishaps such as purchasing too much or too little, and overpaying for items when time is of the essence.

Wasted time with double data entry is an ineffective use of employee time. There was a need to purchase a system that would save employees time and the company money.

The Solution: Total ETO ERP

After looking at several systems, management sought out Total ETO as it had heard about it from Handling Specialty in Grimsby Ontario, another custom design manufacturing company that uses Total ETO. Advanced Dynamics was pleased with what Total ETO had to offer and how other small to mid-sized engineer to order manufacturers spoke highly of the software system.

Total ETO’s ERP and material resourcing planning software solution was written by engineers for ETO manufacturers. It is a complete system that integrates Advanced Dynamics’ business from the sales proposal phase to shipping. It simplified their business processes, sped up production, and provided real-time management information. The net result is that Advanced Dynamics became more competitive locally and internationally and grew into a more successful company.

The Results: Total ETO ERP Implementation Benefits

With over 10 successful years of using Total ETO as its ERP software, Advanced Dynamics has grown into an international player in the paper and pulp, and primary metals industries. Their recently purchased manufacturing plant in India also has implemented Total ETO as its first overseas customer.

· With Total ETO, the engineers at Advanced Dynamics can create BOMs quickly, and with the integrated hold and release system, they can release data frequently. Total ETO provides seamless integration with purchasing.

· Advanced Dynamics now has a truly dynamic BOM process, through the Total ETO integration with their 3D CAD system. They have the flexibility to not only create but also change a project’s BOM prior to, during, and even after its release to purchasing and manufacturing.

· Like many custom design companies, Advanced Dynamics likes to customize things, including the Total ETO software they purchased. Seeing how flexible Total ETO was in being configured to meet the specific needs of their Quebec office, Advanced Dynamics also implemented Total ETO in their manufacturing plant in India.

· Advanced Dynamics has been pleased with how well Total ETO’s material resource planning software system meets the needs of engineer-to-order or made-to-order shops, mirroring the workflow and processes of custom design manufacturers.

· Advanced Dynamics has had a significant increase in communication amongst their departments, especially engineering and purchasing. One database houses all data for all departments, eliminating the multiple spreadsheets and emails going back and forth between departments, which led to data errors. This has in turn saved the company time and money.