Boosting Manufacturers’ and Distributors' Digital IQ
Through ERP Implementation, Digital Process Roadmap, Industry4.0 Strategies, and Customer Experience Transformation
Problems We Solve for Manufacturers and Distributors
And why do they hire us?
ElevatIQ consultants have deep expertise in implementing several systems for manufacturing and distribution sub-sectors. This specific expertise reduces your digital transformation project’s time and costs, as we don’t need training on your industry and business processes. We already understand particular processes for your micro-industry.
Inefficiencies Due to Lack of Inventory Tracking
If you are running your processes manually or through disconnected systems, you will struggle to track your inventory, which results in inventory losses, component shortages, or meeting customer expectations with delivery.
Cash Flow Issues Due to Manual Material Requirement Planning (MRP)
If you don’t have a manufacturing ERP system in place, it’s hard to plan how much inventory you need to purchase to ensure production and how much stock you need to produce to avoid stock-outs.
No Real-Time Insight Due to Disconnected Processes
If your processes are currently manual or use siloed systems, you will be spending a significant amount of time resolving discrepancies. You will plan based on inaccurate data, and the information can’t be real-time.
Admin Overhead and Penalties Due to Lack of Compliance
If you don’t have a manufacturing ERP system in place, you might struggle to maintain compliance standards such as ISO or industry-specific. You will also work in maintaining the quality standards required by your customers and regulatory bodies.
Financial Implications Due to Inaccurate Job Costing
Without a manufacturing ERP system, you will find it challenging to get insight into accurate and detailed job costing, which leads to inaccurate pricing, lower profit margins, and incorrect tracking of costs.
Inefficient Production Management and Scheduling
Without a manufacturing ERP system, you will have challenges meeting schedules for your orders, estimating your production capacity, and optimizing production runs for optimum efficiency.
Lack of Automation of Shop Floor Processes
Without the devices installed on the shop floor, you will find it challenging to report labor hours accurately, manage schedules for your jobs, and gather accurate data to help with your planning.
Inefficient Warehouse Processes
Without a manufacturing ERP system, your warehouses are likely to be inefficient as it’s harder to implement efficient processes such as batch or wave picking. Without barcode readers, your manual methods will be highly slow and inefficient.
Control Issues Due to Disconnected Sites
Without a global manufacturing ERP system that supports a multi-entity organization’s operations, your disconnected sites might prevent you from getting a centralized view of your customers, vendors, and inventory.
Want to learn more about why independent manufacturing and distribution consultants have a higher success rate with implementations?
Our Case Studies for
Manufacturing and Distribution
ECommerce Supply Chain Transformation With ERP Selection
Download the eCommerce Supply Chain transformation case study and learn how LockNLube transformed its inventory and supply chain challenges by consolidating over 20 systems. As well as by creating business, process, information, and system architecture as they prepare for the next phase of their growth.
Mergers and Acquisitions ERP Integration Failure Rescue
Download the mergers and acquisitions ERP integration failure Case Study and learn how Pride Sports struggled with Supply Chain and inventory allocation issues, as well as operational disruptions due to poorly planned M&A integration and ERP transformation project.
Omnichannel eCommerce Customer Experience Transformation
Download the omnichannel eCommerce customer experience case study and learn how fashion retailer AKIRA built a digital roadmap and managed stakeholder expectations to transform its processes and systems to explore newer business models such as buy-online-pickup-in-store and curbside pickup.
Benefits for Manufacturers and Distributors
Through Us
By streamlining the process, information, and system architecture, manufacturers enjoy several benefits resulting in financial gains of higher net new sales, retention of existing customers, and higher profit margin.
Superior Customer Experience
By connecting all your processes and streamlining them, you can predictably commit and deliver to your customers. Without manual intervention, your customers will receive consistent experience through automated processes.
Traceability
A modern manufacturing ERP system will provide you the end-to-end traceability, whether you need a consolidated view of your sales or operations or debug a KPI through the process. You may need this traceability for your internal tracking or regulatory bodies.
Lower Costs
By eliminating manual and inefficient processes, you can lower the costs to produce your products, which will help you with reduced product costs, higher profit margin, and increased sales.
Increased Efficiency
By eliminating manual and inefficient processes, you can lower the costs of producing your products, which will help you with reduced product costs, higher profit margins, and increased sales.
Cash Flow Prediction
Through a modern ERP system, you can plan your inventory and production better, which will help you plan your cash flow better. An ERP system will also ensure due notices to your customers for a timely collection of your revenues.
Reduced Inventory and Lean Processes
Enabling lean processes is nearly impossible unless you have a manufacturing ERP system that can support lean processes that you desire to reduce excessive stock levels and optimize production runs.
Are you facing these problems as well?
Our Expertise with
Manufacturing and Distribution Sub-industries
ElevatIQ has served clients in various manufacturing and distribution verticals such as automotive; aerospace and defense; medical device and pharmaceuticals; industrial machinery and automation; high tech & electronics; signage design and architecture fabrication; print and packaging; building material; furniture; food and beverage; chemicals; wineries, breweries & distilleries.
Industrial Distribution
Our capabilities for industrial Distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, vending machine and ASRS integration, configurator implementation and integration, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Aerospace and Defence
Our capabilities for aerospace and defense manufacturers and distributors include ERP selection and implementation, PLM selection and implementation, QMS selection and integration, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Industrial Machinery and Automation
Our capabilities for industrial machinery and automation manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, MES and PLM selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Signage Design and Architecture Fabrication
Our capabilities for signage design and architecture fabrication manufacturers and distributors include ERP selection and implementation, CRM selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Building Material
Our capabilities for building materials manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, WMS and TMS selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Food and Beverage
Our capabilities for food and beverage manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, WMS and TMS selection and implementation, S&OP selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries
Our capabilities for wine and beer manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, S&OP selection and implementation, WMS and TMS selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Automotive
Our capabilities for automotive manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, supplier integration and S&OP implementation, MES selection and implementation, HCM selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Medical Device and Pharma
Our capabilities for medical devices and pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, MES and PLM selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
High Tech & Electronics
Our capabilities for high-tech and electronics manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, MES and PLM selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Print and Packaging
Our capabilities for print and packaging manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, MES and PLM selection and implementation, WMS and TMS selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Furniture
Our capabilities for furniture manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Chemicals
Our capabilities for food and beverage manufacturers and distributors include eCommerce platform implementation and replatforming, ERP selection and implementation, S&OP selection and implementation, WMS and TMS selection and implementation, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation roadmap development.
Check Our Popular YouTube Videos
Manufacturing Playlist
Our Services For The
Manufacturing Industry
ElevatIQ services include transformation readiness assessment and vendor-agnostic digital process architecture development; business process re-engineering, documentation, and design; digital roadmap and business case development; enterprise technology selection; requirement, project, and change management; RFP development and contract negotiation; ERP implementation, optimization, and training; and ERP project recovery and expert witness.
Digital Strategy Assessment and Roadmap Development
Our assessment starts with a deeper dive into the current state of your processes, data, systems, pain points, and goals. We use secondary and primary methods to provide an initial roadmap of recommended changes to meet your business goals.
Fractional CIO, Expert Witness, and M&A Advisory
If you don't have an internal CIO, we can act as the interim CIO and advise on most systems and processes. In addition, if you need our help as the expert witness or in an M&A transaction to assess the potential of business technology, we can help.
E-commerce Selection and Implementation
If your goal is to improve the customer experience by implementing a new eCommerce platform or re-platforming your existing one, these services can help. In addition, we can help integrate it into your architecture.
ERP Implementation and System Integration
We have internal capabilities to support the implementation of most major ERP systems. We also help integrate Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, Amazon, POS, or ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite, Sage).
ERP Selection, Contract Negotiation, and Change Management
These services help identify the suitable systems for your enterprise architecture, uncover technical and financial risks deeply embedded in your contracts, and manage change for your organization.
Business Integration Technology Roadmap
Your acquisition strategy may land into technology silos, limiting the insight available across business processes, customers, and suppliers. Our team can help with technology integration strategy and execution.
Business Process Reengineering and Redesign
These services are applicable in the pre-selection phase to avoid ERP implementation and adoption risks. The goal of these services is to identify your legacy processes and datasets that need to be re-engineered before identifying technologies for your business.
ERP Project Recovery and Optimization
70% of the ERP projects don't deliver business results. And some cause significant disruptions to the business. If you need help recovering the project by analyzing the current implementation and taking interim steps to prevent damages or pivoting strategy, we can help.
Change and ERP Project Management
Unlike other ERP vendors in the market, our training methodology is inspired by modern learning techniques, which can be customized to your unique needs, irrespective of whether you prefer workshop-oriented training, online recorded sessions, or collaborative CRPs.
Check Our Popular Manufacturing Blogs
Our Expertise with
Types of Manufacturing
We are experts in most types of manufacturing processes, including make-to-order (MTO), make-to-stock (MTS), engineered-to-order (ETO), configure-to-order (CTO), project-based, job-shop, and process.
Make-to-Stock Manufacturing (MTS)
You have unique challenges in forecasting your demand and scheduling your volume runs. You also have unique distribution model, such as collaboration with your resellers or integration with e-commerce that adds to unique operational challenges.
Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing (ETO)
Your business model and operational needs are unique as you need to spend a significant amount of time in engineering and collaborating with your customers. Additionally, your BOMs could be more complex and require a system that can handle such complexity.
Project-based Manufacturing
Suppose you are a project-based manufacturer such as trade show management companies or lighting project installers. In that case, your operations require a system that can handle project-based manufacturing needs, including integrated financial and purchasing within the project.
Process Manufacturing
If you are a process manufacturer, your processes are entirely different from discrete manufacturers. They require a system that can support a process manufacturer’s needs, such as recipe management, version management, and process production.
Make-to-Order Manufacturing (MTO)
Your operational challenges are unique, as you might need to design your expensive parts, collaborate with your customers more often, and plan your orders so that you don’t miss your delivery deadlines. These operational challenges are unique for MTO manufacturers.
Configure-to-Order Manufacturing (CTO)
You have highly configurable products, which increases the complexity of your quoting processes. These configurations also require your system to be able to support such needs throughout the process, which increases operational complexity and product design assumptions.
Job Shop Manufacturing
If you are a job-shop manufacturer, you will require an ERP system that is strong in job costing functionality and can help you plan and schedule your jobs. Your needs are going to be different than your other counterparts, such as volume or precision manufacturers.
Most Recent Questions Manufacturers Asked
About Their Digital Transformation Journey
An ERP stands for “Enterprise Resource Planning. ” It’s a business management suite that can integrate all business processes of a manufacturer such as production management, BOM, and MRP in one software system. Read more here.
A manufacturing ERP is a management information system that helps automate your manufacturing processes such as production management, procurement, supply chain planning, and providing real-time insight across processes. Read more here.
While several ERP systems in the market could provide profound functionality for several businesses, manufacturers have unique needs with complex BOM management, outside processing management, in-process quality control, and shop floor automation. A non-manufacturing ERP solution would require significant customizations for manufacturers to use it productively and get the job costing accurately as manufacturing accounting requires.
While the cloud provides several advantages, including mobile-friendly, subscription-model, and without the hassle of managing IT infrastructure, the cloud may not be suitable for every business. Some businesses, such as medical devices, may have validation needs on each software upgrade. If so, the cloud could be prohibitively expensive. You should evaluate all the options before deciding which model is the right fit for your needs.
