MRP System Implementation For Amarinth Ltd

Amarinth Limited, based in Woodbridge, Suffolk, manufacture a range of pumps for the chemical and industrial sector. The company was founded in 2002 after the management got together from a previous company. Already experienced users of MRP, they identified that the new company would need to start with a solid production management software foundation and, after installing Access Accounts to handle the company’s financials they continued on to evaluate several MRP systems. Commented Oliver Brigginshaw, Managing Director, “The previous system we’d used was only really manageable with low volumes on basic products. We struggled with history and trending information. We looked at four systems but chose 123 Insight Ltd because we liked their approach - I particularly liked the ability to interact with data at different levels. The main benefit over other systems was that 123insight was open - from the start we planned a completely integrated solution, with a web-based front-end for customers to be able to check product availability, place orders and check their progress. 123insight was the only solution that would allow us to do this.”

Training and Implementation

In June 2003 three users were trained, taking just three days for all parts of the system. They then set about writing integration from external applications. Oliver added; “We interface directly into the back-end SQL tables from both Lotus Notes and a home-grown e-commerce web site. Within Lotus Notes we can create the same assembly using components manufactured from different materials, then dynamically create all of the assemblies components and materials within 123insight. We also regularly synchronise data such as leadtimes, order status, stock availability and prices between 123insight and our website, which is based on PHP and MySQL. Customers can now enter and progress orders directly from the web, which reduces our admin costs by 60%.”

Once the parts creation and customer web interfaces were created Amarinth concentrated on analysing the data they were now generating. Said Oliver; “We started to look at information more critically, right down to part level - for example which parts we were struggling to deliver consistently, perhaps because of overselling or problems with suppliers. It helps make us continually more realistic with the leadtimes. We can also now quote stock availability instantly, either by phone or across the web. Overall it gives our company a much more professional appearance.”

Data Import

Data manipulation outside of 123insight was also extremely easy; “We could easily extract data into manageable applications such as Microsoft Excel, and update back-end criteria such as component categories extremely quickly - if someone comes up with an idea we can change 2000 parts at once. 123insight also fits extremely well with Access Accounts - the Transaction Broker, which was tailored specifically to our needs, talks directly to both the 123insight and Access Accounting SQL tables ensuring a seamless live data link.”

Amarinth has ensured that order workflow and its respective data has been tightly controlled from the outset. ISO9001/2000 was achieved within 6 months of start-up, and 123insight is now an integral part of Amarinth’s conformity procedures. Oliver concluded; “123insight has increased our visibility of everything that is going on. Reporting, however has delivered the biggest benefits for us. We’ve not yet fully exploited the integration between 123insight and Access Accounting will give us. We plan to grow our business by 100% over the next 12 months, and 123 Insight Ltd is central to our IT core strategy as we continue to enhance our web services to customers.”