BA Pumps & Sprayers
Industry 4.0 Case Study
Journey into the digital future
“By refining the needs, not wants, of the business, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the current ERP and the business model, the team were able to develop a list of requirements.”
Key learnings
Vertical integration is a key Smart Industry Readiness Index dimension and the team have elected to include a manufacturing execution system and customer portal, which will improve the flow of information through the business, tackling current challenges around information flow, process visibility and real-time data for decision-making.
Background
We are a family-owned business, founded in 1989 by siblings Mark, Penny and Guy Rendle. Like so many Kiwi businesses, we started BA Pumps & Sprayers, formerly known as Bertolini Australasia, out of the belief that we could design and build a better product.
Our approach to business is built around the simple premise that combining good old-fashioned Kiwi ingenuity with the world’s best components and technology, backed by nationwide support and service, will always be a winning formula.
With a combined experience in the agricultural sector in excess of 125 years, our sales and service team prides itself on delivering the best advice, solutions, and product support nationwide.
Opportunity
BA Pumps and Sprayers has an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that is reaching the end of its product life, requiring it to look at new opportunities in the market.
An ERP is a solution that integrates and manages core business processes and data across various departments and functions within an organisation.
This includes functions such as finance, human resources, inventory management, procurement, manufacturing and, in some cases, customer relationship management.
BA Pumps and Sprayers currently has a tier 2 ERP system, a mid-level solution that offers a balance between affordability and functionality, catering to the needs of medium-sized businesses.
Tier 1 systems are commonly found in large multinational corporations.
Solution
1. Need for new system
a. Understood the need for a new system, driven by the sunset of the current ERP, and a desire to improve our supply chain performance, real-time stock position and transparency of information across the business.
2. Cross-functional team
a. Gather a team of cross-functional users, including an external consultant, to capture the requirements for the business.
3. Target systems/vendors
a. Using help from the consultant, drafted a list of target ERPs available in the NZ ecosystem.
4. Develop a list of requirements and features
a. By refining the needs, not wants, of the business, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the current ERP and the business model, the team were able to develop a list of requirements.
5. Sought proposals from vendors
a. Sent a request for proposal to selected vendors.
6. Preliminary review against criteria by consultant to create a shortlist
7. Narrowing the shortlist
a. Comparing the features of the systems on the shortlist against the required features, the team were able to reduce the short list to three options for deeper investigation.
8. Live demonstrations and real-world users
a. Went to companies using candidate solutions, viewed product demonstrations, and spoke to users of the software who were able to demonstrate the capabilities of the packages and understand the real-world implications of how they operate.
9. Features matrix and independent rating by team
a. The team members then individually ranked the software packages against the predetermined criteria based on their impressions of the software in use.
b. These scores were then reviewed and presented to the board for consideration, along with cost and other factors.
Benefits
By taking a collaborative approach to the decision, the entire team were engaged in the selection process, and have great levels of ownership about the recommendation presented to the board.
The team understand there is significant preparation work around mapping business processes, and selecting what products and services carry through to the new ERP system. The team also understand what else is in the market, and a broader understanding of features and what is possible.
Furthermore, they understand the way the system is designed to work and its philosophy.
About the site visits and Industry 4.0
The purpose of the Demonstration Network is to drive uptake of Industry 4.0 technologies among New Zealand manufacturers with the aim of increasing their productivity and global competitiveness. The Network of Sit Visits (NSV) are part of the Industry 4.0 Demonstration Network, which also includes a mobile showcase and smart factory showing cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technologies in action. The NSV takes selected companies through a fully funded assessment process to help them accelerate their own journey towards Industry 4.0, and sees them share their knowledge with other manufacturers.
