Jacto Improves Operations with Syspro

When the business underwent an ownership transfer, Jacto lost its use of the existing Oracle ERP solution. Forgoing the corporate parent’s offer to extend its SAP deployment, and not interested in continuing on Oracle with its own license, the U.S. team began to search for their own ERP solution in 2009.

The selection team reviewed multiple options, narrowed the list down to Syspro, Infor Distribution FACTS and QuickBooks. After a thorough review process, the company ultimately selected Syspro’s full suite of ERP distribution capabilities and implemented the solution within three months.

Jacto builds and sells the world’s best line of backpack and agricultural sprayers, and employs nearly 4,000 people. Brazilian- based, its U.S. distribution headquarters are located in a Portland, Oregon suburb, where the company offers nine models of world renowned backpack sprayers and a complete line of airblast and cannon sprayers. While growing extensively over its 80+ year history, the Jacto family of companies maintains its core values, which include honoring all commitments, simplicity, innovation and social responsibility, among others.

The current Jacto U.S. facilities were previously co-owned and managed by a large outdoor power equipment company. Jacto purchased the full business interest and now owns the U.S. operations outright. Jacto U.S. is part of the corporate “Small Farms Solutions” division.

While the company benefited from the ownership transfer, the transition was not without its challenges. The former owner withdrew both its people and the existing Oracle ERP solution leaving Jacto scrambling for an effective ERP solution that could be deployed without delay.

Jacto U.S. had to make a fast, but smart decision: they had to be off the Oracle solution within six months, so that timespan included both the selection and deployment cycle.

“It was an intense and thorough exercise, but Jacto is very satisfied that we made the correct decision selecting Syspro to replace the system that was withdrawn,” explains Melissa Regan, Director of Operations and Administration for Jacto U.S.

Syspro’s customization capabilities and ease-of-use have proved invaluable for Jacto U.S.

“As a financially-oriented person I fell in love with the visibility you get from the Syspro system – you can see everything you need to at a glance and drill down to whatever numbers or data you need to review,” says Regan. “Syspro is very user friendly; the customization capabilities are incredibly valuable to us.”

Jacto U.S. have thrived through the roller coaster ride that has been the agricultural industry in recent years. Executives in the organization believe that the ERP solution has been a major contributor to their success. They pinpoint the following reasons for this:

Inventory management strengths customized scripts that dovetail to the way Jacto runs its operations;

Business growth strengths – the low maintenance do-it-yourself capabilities of Syspro have kept IT costs low, enabling the company to channel investment dollars to sales and order management functions;

Flexibility – Jacto management says the company has been able to react as needed operationally to respond to changes in its economic and buyer landscape.

The North American agricultural industry, like many other industries in a changing economic and regulatory climate, has ups and downs,” Regan said. “A rigid ERP system that requires constant recoding and additional IT resources to maintain would have been the wrong decision for us. The majority of our new hires are based on sales and customer support, versus administrative, financial or IT functions. Syspro is the right solution for companies that want to carefully control their costs, optimize the use of their people, and make investments that will grow, and not just sustain, the company.”