BONUS: From Spreadsheets to MRP: How SMB Manufacturers Are Improving Visibility to Inventory and Costs with MRPeasy

How do you know when your current setup has stopped working, and what to do with it when it does?

In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris sits down with Shane Dubbelman, Head of Partnerships at MRPeasy, and Sara Duff, Managing Director at Smart Manufacture, to talk about what happens at that point, when the lack of visibility into inventory, costs, and operations starts to hold a business back.

They get into where spreadsheets begin to slack, how to think about MRP vs ERP at that stage of growth, and why a lot of companies looking at ERP are probably aiming too far ahead of what they need.

Sara shares a couple of examples from her work with manufacturers, including how one CNC machining business ended up stretched across a mix of disconnected tools. And Shane walks through how MRPeasy approaches the tricky task of implementation.

In this episode, find out:

1. The point where spreadsheets start to break down, and the impact that has on costs and planning
2. Why most companies aiming for ERP would be better starting with MRP
3. How one CNC machining business ended up stretched across disconnected tools
4. What changed for a manufacturer that moved off Excel and saw 25% growth in a year
5. The common traits Sara sees in manufacturers that scale successfully
6. How MRPeasy approaches implementation, from self-serve to hands-on support

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Tweetable Quotes:

1. “A lot of small manufacturers that are looking for ERP software probably actually need MRP software - because they're looking to manage their manufacturing.” - Shane Dubbelman
2. “A year after MRPeasy went live, they grew their business by just over 25% - without significantly increasing their headcount. The system made that possible.” - Sara Duff
3. “It’s those that are open to looking at there being a different way of doing things. I may not know exactly how to do that, but if I bring in the right people and the right technology, I can achieve it.” - Sara Duff

Links & mentions:

1. MRPeasy User Manual, installing MRPeasy does not have to be hard or expensive; you can even do it yourself
2. Smart Manufacture, UK-based Smart Manufacture works with companies from SMEs to Mid-Market across multiple verticals, including engineering to order, discrete manufacturing, batch manufacturing and process manufacturing; Smart Manufacture help these companies to specify, select and implement proven best of breed software which can deliver tangible business outcomes – reduced costs, improved operational efficiencies, increased revenues and improved productivity

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.