KR Saws, a Coventry-based saw blade specialist, is focusing on strong growth following investment in new machinery to reduce production times, a major product overhaul and reduced overheads with the implementation of new enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology.
The business has grown to surpass all expectations. Set up in 2004 as a joint venture between saw blade manufacturers, Kinkelder BV of the Netherlands and Robert Roentgen GmbH & Co of Germany, it provides the UK engineering industry and other end users with the widest range of specialist products and technical support. With over 1,000 customers, from blue chip to small engineering companies, KR Saws supplies to oil and gas, aerospace, engraving, metal fabrication, welding and steel processing sectors, and more.
Growth has been a result of reduced production times thanks to investment in an Ideal bandsaw precision welding machine, a major streamlining and rebranding of products, and a move from traditional accounting software Sage to OGL Software’s Profit4 ERP solution. The software upgrade came about as KR Saws sought to accelerate business operations, while reducing delivery times and overhead costs.
Paul Ison, Managing Director, KR Saws, explained: “For 18 years, we relied on Sage, and its numerous add-ons to manage different parts of our business. We ended up with a clunky system that just gave everyone a headache. KR Saws is not just a supplier of metal cutting saw blades, we are also part manufacturer, importing goods to create finished products for clients, so we needed additional features to manage that stock. And Sage just wasn’t cutting it any longer.”
The company recognised that it needed an ERP solution that was able to handle multiple business processes from one software. Having reviewed the options, Paul selected OGL Software’s Profit4 to simplify business processes, while making stock management, deliveries, customer service enquiries, and invoicing practices quicker and more efficient.
KR Saws’ expanded product line required additional time spent by the team in stock management and order processing, so Profit4 was an advantage in simplifying those, but also provided automated order acknowledgements, which Sage did not do. This made communication with customers easier and gave KR Saws better visibility of its stock, so the company could improve warehouse organisation and accelerate delivery processing.
The software has also cut down on delivery times thanks to KR Saws using Profit4’s integration with MaxOptra to simplify routes and deliver to more customers in a smarter, quicker way. By integrating the company’s carrier service through DX freight, Project Co-ordinator, Louis Coleman, reports that the business has a better view of all transactions, so the team can focus on ensuring there are no problems with timed deliveries.
Louis said: “By integrating our Profit4 solution with a carrier service, delivery costs are reduced while we still meet and exceed customer expectations on delivery times. This is important for every business that provides goods, as customers sometimes demand quicker delivery for certain projects, but this is something we do well. The ease of using the Profit4 solution is another benefit as we have five application engineers who work remotely or travel to customer sites to sharpen blades. Now, no matter where they are on any day, they can use the system to see all the transactions for each customer, so they can access required history, including orders and date details, when needed.”
The Profit4 software is designed with roles and user requirements at its core, featuring an interface designed to be fast, and easy to understand and use, ensuring efficient management of all essential business processes.
Paul Ison concluded: “My advice to any other business looking to move to a new software system, would be to do it as it’s going to reduce the headaches of non-integrated software solutions. You need to understand the problems you’re trying to solve, then you go for the one that works best at resolving them. It’s just one step at a time and we’ve already done a lot in a short period of time, with carrier and transport integration key to our growth, but there are still lots of possibilities to explore, like banking and credit controls.”
Andrew Davies, Head of Product Engineering, OGL Software, said: “Our software is designed for companies that want to simplify and improve business processes for growth and success. Profit4 streamlines time-consuming tasks and collates important customer information, to have it ready, at a glance, as soon as it’s needed, wherever the system is accessed. As the software is cloud-based, it can grow and be updated to facilitate different business needs and requirements to support future plans.”
About KRSaws
Servicing the United Kingdom from its headquarters in Coventry – West Midlands, KR Saws is able to offer its customers a truly comprehensive range of metal cutting Circular Saw Blades, Band Saw Blades and an inhouse Circular Saw Blade Sharpening facility supported with expert advice and technical support.
The company is a joint venture between world-class saw blade manufacturers, Kinkelder BV of the Netherlands and Robert Roentgen GmbH & Co of Germany. Recognising the productivity challenges faced by the UK engineering industry, KR Saws was established in 2004 to provide an interface for technical support direct from the manufacturers.
By working in partnership with our customers we can identify key variables, develop an understanding of new technologies and become the driver of cost reduction. This process is delivered through on-going individual consultation and training.
About OGL Software
OGL Software is a leading provider of ERP software for small-medium UK stockists, merchants, distributors and wholesalers. Built on over 45 years’ experience our solutions, including our newest product, Profit4, manage a range of business processes including stock control, order management, finance & accounting, CRM, SRM and reporting & analytics.
Our ERP solutions are used by hundreds of businesses and thousands of users to deliver greater efficiencies, improved productivity and increased profitability. We’re proud to be a privately-run business working closely with our customers to deliver a first-class service and support them as they grow and drive their own businesses forward.
For more information, visit: www.ogl.co.uk
