Pittards’ system straps manufacturing and business processes

Significant improvements to business practices and customer service are the expectation at specialist leather processor Pittards, based in Yeovil. The company has installed a £725,000 system from Swedish ERP system developer IFS, mostly for quality control, that’s a first for the industry. It will be linking every aspect of the firm’s manufacturing processes, recording and linking all information from source and history of each hide and tanning process through to packaging and despatch. The system will also be linked to HR and machine maintenance schedules, enabling the firm to improve on forward planning and production scheduling, and to reap the resulting cost control benefits. Pittards manufacturers a wide range of leathers for more than 2,000 customers in 30 countries around the world, and the system will provide full information on every one of its 70,000 hides processed at the firm’s factories every week. Lindsey Blackford, Pittards’ group services director, says: “This software is all about information and also about timing. Instead of waiting for reports, the computers will alert us instantly of any exceptions in any of the processes. It really is an all embracing system and will link every activity in a way that has not previously been possible.” Mike Dodd, Pittards’ new business development director, says: “Our business is built on close partnership with all parties in the supply chain and with a focus on being innovative in all that we do. We were looking for an IT partner with a similar philosophy. “IFS UK was selected because of its understanding of the needs of our business, the breadth of functionality … and the company’s ability to implement the system. While it is a major investment, without doubt the new system will add immeasurably to our overall business practices.”