Global Vac Forming

A result of that change of management was the opportunity to review the computer systems in use. The need was to put in place a system that would support the company’s wish to broaden its use of IT to include bar-coded stock control, EDI, and, within their new 33,000 sq ft production and storage facility, to provide pallet tracking and control. 

Andy Smith, Joint Managing Director explains “We were using an ERP system installed some years previously and running on an IBM i-series minicomputer. Whilst the system addressed the day to day requirements quite well our thinking was that we needed a more modern Windows-based solution where we could take advantage of a standard product that still provided the flexibility for enhancement by our IT providers Asis Solutions Ltd.” 

Asis undertook a review of the company’s needs and the wish-list of the users and proposed SAP Business One to replace the text-based ERP system. At this point the wider review team at Global Vac Forming came into its own. Andy Smith again “We needed to be sure that the proposal was driven by our requirements and asked Asis to provide a number of demonstrations. We were looking to ensure that all aspects of an integrated system were available; from prospecting or initial enquiry through sales, production, delivery and accounting. It became apparent quickly that SAP Business One could satisfy all of those requirements and also provide others that would further streamline our internal processes.

Asis imported data from our existing IBM i-series based ERP system so that in their demonstrations our review team saw customer, supplier and part records that they instantly recognised and this helped tremendously when comparing SAP Business One with other systems. The capabilities demonstrated were so allencompassing that the review team had no hesitation in deciding that SAP Business One was the way forward.” 

Asis created a phased implementation plan to suit the small team assigned to the project by GVF and initially migrated the accounting system data from the i-series to allow GVF to use the more complete management accounting tools and reports available with SAP Business One.

This was achieved on time and was followed swiftly by the migration of all other elements of the business. “With all of the main components now running on SAP Business One we are expanding the system to include the bar code labelling and tracking system produced as an add-on by Asis. 

In addition we are excited to be rolling out the SAP B1 Mobile application on iPads that we believe will enable us to respond quickly to a customer’s request for quotation, possibly even while at the customer’s office during a meeting!” 

“The combination of SAP Business One and Asis has proved to be the right choice to take us forward through this sustained period of expansion. I’m sure we wouldn’t have been able to achieve our recent record growth without the new system.”