by Natalie Edwards

East Coast Bays Engineering, Auckland - case study

 

'With monthly reporting, and consistent stock availability, our consumable costs are much more efficient.'

 

We  spoke with purchasing manager Matt Vandewaardt at East Coast Bays Engineering about how they improved ordering efficiency...

Tell us a bit about East Coast Bays Engineering….

We offer bespoke structural and architectural steel solutions to the construction industry, out of our workshop here on Auckland's North Shore.  With a team of over 21 engineers we are well equipped to handle even the most challenging requests that come our way.We're all about innovation in transforming aluminium.  We pioneered the aluminium extrusion process in New Zealand, and since then have continually adopted advances in the technology and manufacturing processes. This commitment to leadership, allied to advances in metallurgy, has seen our products continue to enhance our reputation for excellence across every function.  With our culture of advanced thinking and design innovations, when it comes to transforming aluminium, we can create almost anything.  

What led you to try QUICKSTOCK?

We had a good working relationship with Euromarc. A relationship based on mutual respect and understanding. A suggestion was made by the team at Euromarc that we’d look at this, and it just made good sense.

How did the solution benefit your business?

It's given back time that was getting spent managing stock and ordering, and it's also sped up production with our regular consumables always being available for the guys to grab when they need them.

What were some of the costs involved in ordering before QUICKSTOCK?

Well every time we'd go to place an order, it would involve someone checking on the stock, working out what else is needed, contacting the supplier, checking the order when it arrives, packing away the stock, and processing the invoice.  Quite a bit of people work when you think about it, and that's one of the biggest costs to the business.

Were there any hurdles with getting used to QUICKSTOCK?

None that I can think of.  The cabinets were installed and stocked, and we haven't had to worry about placing orders for our regular consumables since!

How would you say QUICKSTOCK has improved your business?

With monthly reporting, and consistent stock availability, our consumable costs are much more efficient.  We are not dealing with fluctuations in price depending on how much we order, or paying for additional shipping if we need to place an additional order for something that's run out.  Everything is just a lot cleaner and more efficient. 

What would you say to other engineering companies looking for an inventory management solution?

Sit down and have a realistic look at your current costs of managing consumables.  You might be surprised time it takes up - and when there's a solution like this available, jump on it, let someone else do the work and put your time to better use.