by Natalie Edwards

Rata Equipment, Winchester, South Canterbury  – Success Story

 

‘We have never experienced stockouts or late deliveries since adopting QUICKSTOCK. The system is always well-stocked and replenished on time.’

 

Troy, Adrian and Bert from Rata Equipment tell us why QUICKSTOCK was a no brainer for improving their efficiencies.

Tell us about Rata Equipment…

 

Rata is a manufacturing-based company located in the heart of South Canterbury in Winchester, where our manufacturing facility is based. We manufacture a range of front-end loader attachments for tractors and loaders in the agricultural industry. Our flagship product is the Power Claw, which is sold extensively throughout New Zealand and Australia. We employ about 30 staff on-site and have a couple of team members based in Australia. All Rata parts are manufactured here on-site in Winchester, involving cutting steel, welding, painting, and assembly. Our goal is to make our customers' lives easier every day.

HOW DID YOU MANAGE CONSUMABLE INVENTORY BEFORE QUICKSTOCK?

 

Before we had QUICKSTOCK, we used a similar cabinet system. However, the process was inefficient. One of the factory staff might find the last pair of gloves, leaving none for the next person. They would notify the goods inwards person, who would then email me to order more gloves from Euromarc. I would process the order and send it off to Euromarc, who would deliver the items. We had multiple suppliers, meaning we had to do multiple purchase orders every month. This often led to downtime in the factory and frustrated the fabrication staff. Managing consumable inventory was a nightmare. We frequently ran out of essential items like grinding discs or gloves, causing wasted time and inefficiency.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO USE QUICKSTOCK?

 

We realised there had to be a better way, so we decided to try QUICKSTOCK after seeing it used effectively in other manufacturing companies. We wanted to improve efficiency and ensure consumable items were always available when needed. It was a no-brainer.

HOW DOES THE QUICKSTOCK SYSTEM WORK WITH YOUR OPERATIONS?

 

With QUICKSTOCK, everything the team needs is in one place. Staff can grab items like grinding discs or drill bits without needing to sign anything or notify anyone. The system is intuitive and reliable, with features like pull-out trays for drill bits, ensuring everything is organised and stocked. The team always knows the cabinet will be full, which makes it a really cool system. I highly recommend it and am glad we implemented it.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE COSTS INVOLVED IN ORDERING BEFORE QUICKSTOCK?

 

The main costs included staff time, inefficiency, and freight costs for extra orders. For example, if a grinding disc wore out and wasn’t replaced, staff couldn’t do any grinding. My time was also taken up processing orders, and we faced freight costs for all the extra orders we used to do.

Have you experienced any hurdles getting used to the QUICKSTOCK system?

 

Initially, we thought we’d need to pay upfront for the stock in the cabinet, but we soon learnt that we only pay for what we use, making it much easier. We have never experienced stockouts or late deliveries since adopting QUICKSTOCK. The system is always well-stocked and replenished on time.

WOULD YOU SAY QUICKSTOCK HAS IMPROVED YOUR BUSINESS?

 

QUICKSTOCK has absolutely improved our business. It has increased efficiency, reduced the number of orders to suppliers, and enabled the fabrication team to work efficiently with the right stock always available. It’s an excellent system.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE QUICKSTOCK SOLUTION TO OTHER ENGINEERING COMPANIES?

 

I would definitely recommend QUICKSTOCK to other manufacturing companies. It improves efficiency, eliminates excuses, and ensures work gets done. We genuinely appreciate QUICKSTOCK and Euromarc’s excellent service—plus, the free chocolate biscuits are a bonus!

 

There's an old saying, you take away the excuses and the work gets done. And I think that's what helps. Now no one has to worry about it anymore, and it's absolutely fantastic. Excellent system.