Westomatic coins it in with IIS Group SAP deployment

Westomatic has deployed a customised SAP Business One solution for manufacturing – including several modules from the B1 Apps range – with support from SAP partner IIS Group.

The Newton Abbot-based food and drink vending machine manufacturer was suffering poor inventory visibility and unreliable reporting. Westomatic realised it needed to reduce the number of solutions it was using to complete processes.

Ashley Rote, financial controller at Westomatic, said: “There were a number of reports that the former system was unable to complete. These had to be done manually and two systems were used to complete tasks. In terms of costings, the former solution didn’t have the visibility we now access and the stock control is a big improvement.”

The IIS Group assisted Westomatic in further extending functions with modules from the B1 Apps range, including tools for production, production, configure to order, trial kitting and email.

“As a result of the tools now at our disposal, the visibility into real-time stock levels is really important and the option to check available items to build is really beneficial,” said Rote. “We use the trial kitting add-on to estimate what components are required and that provides the company with flexibility on what needs to be ordered and what can be committed to.”

The accurate insight into the company’s inventory has been of major benefit to the organisation, which has a commitment to sourcing more than 90 percent of the components and materials used when manufacturing vending solutions.

“In terms of our supply chain, whereas previously we would’ve ordered in bulk for the six months ahead, we are now lean and are able to order what is required for builds for the next two months. SAP Business One has given us greater visibility overall in terms of stock and orders coming through,” Rote added.