BKW Slashes Reordering Times by 50% with Syspro and DataSwitch 

Customer Profile

BKW Instruments is a leading supplier, manufacturer, and distributor of instrumentation solutions across a number of industries including water, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, oil and gas, energy, and HVAC. Based in Manchester, UK, BKW Instruments provides a range of pressure, temperature, level, flow, valves, and analytical instrumentation solutions and services.

BKW has multiple facets of operation which can shift throughout the course of a single day, so integration between its ERP and other systems is essential. Syspro seamlessly integrates with BKW’s third-party applications, enabling the company to work outside the ERP system while utilizing data which can integrate back into Syspro through DataSwitch.

BKW’s previous reorder process was only triggered when the last stock item had been used, resulting in multiple administration tasks and a long paper trail. Purchase orders were created manually before being sent to the procurement department where they were checked before being inputted onto the system and processed.

By comparison, with Syspro and DataSwitch BKW is saving on paper usage and has slashed the time it takes to process reorders by 50%. DataSwitch consolidates the reordering process, ensuring that stock is reordered ahead of time and enabling BKW to dedicate the time saved to improving the customer experience.

In addition, BKW has automated its stock replenishment processes and created automated stock triggers to ensure stock is reordered ahead of time. Purchase orders are consolidated and processed overnight, allowing the team to concentrate on other areas of the business, including future development.

BKW has expanded its use of barcodes, utilizing DataSwitch to streamline processes. The barcode scanners are used to trigger the creation of a job for each component. This is distributed via email and received by the manufacturing department each morning. Full traceability of all operations and access to real-time reports helps management determine where processes can be improved even further.

The Outcome

BKW now has a proactive, automated reordering process. The integrated SYSPRO solution contains an improved reporting functionality which provides management with transparency across the entire supply chain as well as real-time access to critical business information from anywhere. BKW also uses this data to drive its future growth plans.