Johnstown Wire Technologies needed to find its own extensive corporate support and systems — one that could be customized to better serve their needs and enhance their productivity.

Among the benefits of the Axiom ERP is “tag control,” which helps producers like Haynes Wire Co. and Johnstown Wire Technologies track their finished materials — and implement more control over their inventories .

Haynes Wire Co. and Johnstown Wire Technologies reported successful installations of Axiom ERP systems from Axis Computer Systems (www.axiscomp.com).

At Haynes Wire, the installation was a necessary upgrade: the previous, “home-grown” enterprise system was unable to manage and provide access to the information the company needed to operate, and grow, and expand its business effectively. That system lacked information on per-order costs, and order set-up was cumbersome — each had to be redone for each new order. The existing system had minimal reporting and tracking capabilities and no routing history, leaving Haynes Wire with little information.

The Axiom ERP software fit Haynes Wire’s requirements, including coil tracking and heat traceability throughout the system. “Axiom has great tag control and lot tracking,” according to v.p./CIO Jeffrey Young. “That is very important to us, and it’s the reason we chose Axiom. Their capability was much better than the other finalists.”

Axis also implemented the system with very little modification. After struggling with custom code for many years, the company wanted to stay within the functionality of a supported package system.

Implementation was completed in eight months — a month ahead of schedule, and under budget. “It was very much a company project,” added Young, “not an IT project. The users were the leaders in all phases of the implementation, and that’s the way it should be.”

The results have allowed Haynes Wire to level-load the shop floor and reduce lead time to product products. On-time shipments have increased, from 44% to 95%, and the system has been able to capture costs and understand expenses per product and per order. Haynes Wire also boasts better on-time delivery and less stress to rush material through its Mountain Home, NC, facility.

At Johnstown Wire, the Axiom ERP system has helped meet steel manufacturing requirements for quality and provided critical documentation of test metals.

“We needed a package that was geared to the metals industry,” according to IT manager Jolene Kmett, “and we wanted an integrated, high-quality system. We also felt that Axis was a company that we could partner with.”

By installing the system at Johnstown Wire, a streamlined flow of quality testing and certification for on-time shipments was created; scrap analysis and monitoring was improved; shipments were doubled without increasing staff; inventory control was gained and the need for physical counts was reduced; and the support in the process resulted in increasing shipments, from 7,000 - 8,000 tons, to 12,000 - 14,000 tons.

One other critical objective — getting product out quickly to customers — also was achieved. “We never have a day when we can’t plan and load every scheduled truck, and ship all the product,” said Kmett. “We’ve never had the system delay us.”

Axiom also helps manage quality testing and documentation — an important part of the production process, because all quality tests must be completed and passed before shipments can be made. “The flow of information is important to getting the product out the door,” said Kmett.

The ERP system ensures that shipments are correctly labeled, even with materials coming from multiple sources. According to Johnstown Wire, the system has helped reduce labeling errors and simplify material movement. Also important, it has assisted with the tagging of finished products per customer requirements.

Quality data tracking, inventory control, and traceability also have helped Johnstown Wire to reduce its physical inventory to one count per year, more accurately calculating costs for each process and part. Advance ship notices, certifications, and invoices are now e-mailed directly from the system, saving time and enhancing customer service.