Plex Systems > Case Studies > G&W Products Transforms Metal Manufacturing Operations with Plex Manufacturing Cloud ERP

G&W Products Transforms Metal Manufacturing Operations with Plex Manufacturing Cloud ERP

Customer Company Size

SME

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Tech Stack

Cloud ERP

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Productivity Improvements
Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)

Applicable Industries

Metals

Applicable Functions

Business Operation
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Process Control & Optimization
Predictive Maintenance

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
System Integration

About The Customer

G&W Products is a contract metal manufacturing company based in Fairfield, Ohio, founded in 1968. The company specializes in metal stamping, laser cutting, CNC punching, metal fabrication, manual and robotic welding, structural steel working, sheet metal fabrication, powder coating, and assembly. With a workforce of 145 employees, G&W operates from a 140,000 square feet manufacturing and warehousing facility and 15,000 square feet of office space. As a job shop, G&W handles a wide range of metal manufacturing tasks, producing items such as electrical busway components, store displays, military components, and heavy equipment. The company is committed to using technology to transform its business operations and has embraced cloud ERP solutions to achieve world-class production standards.

The Challenge

G&W Products faced significant challenges with their existing ERP system, which was not user-friendly and made it difficult to access critical information needed for business decisions. The company had to rely on manual, paper-based processes, leading to issues with inventory management and traceability. Identifying capacity restraints and order statuses was a lengthy, manual process that consumed valuable resources. This inflexibility prompted G&W to search for a new ERP system that could support its growth and streamline operations.

The Solution

G&W Products implemented the Plex Manufacturing Cloud ERP system to address their operational challenges. The CEO took a unique approach by involving employees in the selection process, ensuring company-wide buy-in. The implementation involved getting two facilities online, which took about four months. The new system provided end-to-end traceability, allowing G&W to track materials back to their source, which proved invaluable when dealing with faulty materials. Plex's capabilities enabled G&W to improve processes continuously, with a dedicated team focused on unlocking the system's potential. The ERP system also streamlined audits, allowing the company to respond quickly and efficiently to audit requests, impressing auditors with their ability to access information instantly.

Operational Impact

G&W Products significantly improved their on-time delivery performance, increasing it from the mid-80% range to as high as 98%.
The company reduced its inventory by 25%, achieving less than 40 days on-hand, which streamlined operations and reduced costs.
G&W achieved the lowest overall parts per million (PPM) at 176, surpassing world-class standards and enhancing product quality.
The implementation of Plex allowed G&W to respond to 11 audits within three months without any issues, showcasing their improved operational efficiency.
The company increased profitability by 12%, despite sales not meeting initial expectations, by optimizing existing revenue streams.

Quantitative Benefit