James Boxall, the owner of Hampshire-based Reeling Systems Limited, has outlined the efficiency gains his business has achieved as a result of investment in PSL Datatrack production control software. These include a reduction in errors when raising purchase orders, quoting improvements and streamlined Bill Of Materials (BOM) reviews.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1990, Reeling specialises in manufacturing and assembling: predominantly supplying firefighting equipment as well as offering subcontract machining services. An employee since 2009, James stepped into his leadership role in 2021, purchasing the business amid challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
With four employees and ISO 9001 accreditation to maintain, James sought a solution that would streamline the entire production process. \u201cWe were heavily reliant on Excel spreadsheets and Word documents for managing our workflow, quoting and stock control,\u201d he recalls.<\/p>\n
This system had been in place since before James arrived at Reeling and had its difficulties, particularly noticed when Covid-19 resulted in staff shortages. \u201cThere was a lot of manual typing and editing of spreadsheets required,\u201d remarks James. \u201cThis process was prone to mistakes, especially as our workload increased.\u201d<\/p>\n
The list of limitations with the previous systems did not stop there. \u201cBOMs took over an hour to review and accessing stock information was very time-consuming,\u201d James continues. The need for a more efficient and error-free system was clear.<\/p>\n
Through online research, which included watching a great number of testimonial videos featuring similar subcontracting businesses, James discovered UK-based PSL Datatrack. The software\u2019s features and functionality appeared to align perfectly with Reeling\u2019s goals. \u201cI felt it would suit our business and the price point was within our range,\u201d says James.<\/p>\n
A demonstration was subsequently arranged and PSL Datatrack tailored this session using job examples provided by James. He notes that it was particularly beneficial to see his company\u2019s own data flowing through the system and that PSL Datatrack were also understanding that Reeling first had to prioritise other investments \u2013 in CNC lathes and mills \u2013 due to increased workload. \u201cThere were no pressure sales tactics,\u201d he comments.<\/p>\n
The implementation was smooth, with training sessions conducted over manageable intervals via Zoom. \u201cTraining a couple of hours at a time, once or twice a week worked well,\u201d reflects James. \u201cYou can pick up elements of the training, work on them using the software and address any questions before the next topic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Post-implementation, the benefits were immediate. \u201cAdministrative tasks such as raising purchase orders now take seconds, rather than hours,\u201d James enthuses. \u201cReviewing BOMs, which can range from 2 to over 100 items, plus managing outstanding quotations, works orders and invoices has become much simpler and quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n
PSL Datatrack\u2019s logical structure and ability to \u2018jump\u2019 seamlessly between modules has also been of great benefit to Reeling. \u201cThere is no need to retype any data as you tab through \u2013 the software knows what is required and fills it out for you!\u201d continues James.<\/p>\n
James has already made use of the system\u2019s Wishlist feature, where users can suggest additions to the software which are then incorporated and distributed to all customers in future updates. He also comments that \u201csupport is excellent \u2013 we can ring up and any questions will be answered either on the phone or via a quick Zoom session, which enables us to share our screens with PSL Datatrack.\u201d<\/p>\n
While quoting success rates haven\u2019t been explicitly monitored, Reeling have secured new jobs from a local customer with plenty more work available, indicating positive growth potential. Looking ahead, the plan is to introduce more staff to PSL Datatrack and explore additional modules to further improve production planning efficiency, including Non Conformance.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, utilisation of the software could support Reeling in future Research and Development (R&D) efforts. \u201cThe R&D feature holds potential for enhancing our cash flow and profitability,\u201d says James.<\/p>\n
Summarising his experience, James praises the software\u2019s ease of use and significant time savings. \u201cAll administration responsibilities have been sped up greatly, freeing up people to carry out other, more productive tasks,\u201d he concludes. Mistakes have been eliminated and customisation provided by PSL Datatrack has addressed specific needs, such as incorporating serial numbers and cure dates for the company\u2019s rubber products.<\/p>\n
In essence, the integration of PSL Datatrack has not only streamlined Reeling Systems Limited\u2019s operations but also positioned the company for growth by optimising processes, reducing errors and enhancing overall efficiency. As James looks forward, he sees a\u00a0promising trajectory\u00a0empowered by this innovative production control system.<\/p>\n
www.psldatatrack.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" James Boxall, the owner of Hampshire-based Reeling Systems Limited, has outlined the efficiency gains his business has achieved as a result of investment in PSL Datatrack production control software. These include a reduction in errors when raising purchase orders, quoting… Continue Reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28826"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28828,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28826\/revisions\/28828"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}