Bromsgrove sets ERP standard for glass SMEs

What’s being billed as a big step forward for SMEs in the glass industry is currently being installed at £4.5 million West Midlands-based glass processor Bromsgrove Glass & Windows. The firm is getting K3’s JobBoss small scale ‘ERP’ system to improve on its ability to schedule work through the factory more efficiently and to plan ahead for glazing and fitting teams. It’s being implemented by IT consultancy Actitude, which also assisted the company in its choice. Says Andy Sinden, Actitude managing director: “We found there was no other solution with the combination of finite capacity planning, flexible order configuration and glass optimisation.” He says the combination of these three specific components makes the solution stand “head and shoulders above other systems,” representing “a quantum leap for the industry.” Says Graham Southall, Bromsgrove managing director, “Bromsgrove has four divisions, all with their own specific issues, so finding a solution that could deal with each … was critical. Sealed unit manufacture, aluminium glazing systems, glass processing where we use CNC machinery, and domestic window installations are very different kinds of businesses. “I’m especially pleased we selected the shop floor data collection module; this will allow job progress to be updated in real time, giving us instant feedback on job status. [It] will mean that we are able to inform customers about how their jobs are progressing, and capacity planning will be much more effective.”