Western Wire Products

Western Wire Products is a proud American manufacturer and distributor. Founded in 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, Western Wire is well-known for having developed an extensive line of standard and specialized fasteners as well as a capability to make and deliver customized wire shapes and forms.

During the Depression in the 1930’s, Western Wire Products’ prime St. Louis location on the Mississippi River was acquired by eminent domain for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial which later became site of the world-famous Gateway Arch. Today, Western Wire Products is situated in Fenton, Missouri where over sixty full time employees run an impressive 132,000 square foot operation. Interestingly, although Western Wire Products’ machinery has modernized over the decades and now includes the latest in multi-slide and special wire-forming equipment, several of the company’s still-running, reliable machines date back almost to its founding.

Although Western Wire Products has a long-established reputation and vast customer base, the company continues to gain market share by promoting multiple branded web sites, conducting targeted advertising campaigns and participating in industry trade shows. Western Wire Products are sold through a network of manufacturer’s representatives to distributors, government, manufacturers, and other industrial end users. An internal sales organization processes hundreds of orders every day from customers large and small, including Fastenal, G.L. Huyett, McMaster-Carr, and thousands of others.

With a tradition of innovation and excellence spanning nearly one hundred years, Western Wire Products has set the standard in the wire products industry.

Western Wire Products Seeks a Technology Solution

For decades, Western Wire Products has relied on information technology (IT) to automate its business processes. In the early 1970’s, an IBM keypunch system was implemented. A Burroughs accounting and order entry system was installed in the early 1980’s followed by the Prism enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution in the late 1980’s. Through these transitions, Western Wire Products’ management valued how their IT systems could help the company do more work at less cost.

In 2003, Western Wire Products received news that its software developer, Systems Design had been acquired by Activant Solutions whose emphasis on its flagship Prophet 21 product cast doubt on the ability to get support for Prism going forward. “We knew we had to make a change,” said John Blaskiewicz, operations manager at Western Wire Products. “We listened to Prophet 21’s sales pitch but we wanted to look at other solutions, too.”

As the prospects of coming to a satisfactory arrangement with Activant fizzled, Debby Perrin, office manager teamed with John to select a new ERP system. In 2006, managers across the Western Wire Products organization were polled to develop lists of the feature/functionality the company needed to substantially improve operational efficiencies and profitability. Armed with this information, John and Debby began the daunting task of finding a suitable ERP business partner who could deliver an appropriate solution.

Following a cursory look at a relatively large number of companies, Western Wire Products decided to take a close look at four top vendors including Earnest & Associates (E&A) who was represented by Lynn Fisher from its office in Springfield, Illinois. Having reviewed Western Wire Products’ specifications in depth, Lynn believed that Infor10 Distribution Business (SX.enterprise) software by Infor could provide a solution. In fact, after an initial round of demonstrations E&A emerged as one of two finalists and was subsequently invited in for a second round of intensive product discussions.

Utilizing data provided by Western Wire Products, Lynn worked with Scott Fisher to demonstrate how SX.enterprise could streamline the company’s business processes. “We asked E&A to show us how we might enter an order, ship finished goods, make inventory adjustments, and so on,” said Debby. “We wanted to do an apples-to-apples comparison of the competing software products by sticking to a tightly-controlled script. We had each department participate in the evaluation from across all of our operations,” continued Debby. After the final round of demonstrations were completed, the management team gave the nod to E&A; the decision was subsequently approved by Western Wire Products’ president, Gene Young.

Citing the key factors why E&A ultimately won Western Wire Products’ business, John said, “Although we are a manufacturer, we really function more like a distributor because we stock the products we make. Lynn and Scott showed us how SX.enterprise had superior order entry characteristics to handle our distribution business. The software also seemed easier to use when compared with other products.”

Western Wire Implements E&A’s Solution

E&A’s Brady Bibb spearheaded the implementation of SX.enterprise in August, 2006. As a robust ERP solution, SX.enterprise offers myriad options for managing complex distribution business models including supply chain management, financial management, performance management, supplier relationship management, eCommerce and customer relationship management. In the case of Western Wire Products, Brady played an important role fitting SX.enterprise to the client’s hybrid manufacturing/distribution environment. To that end, it was agreed that an integral part of the implementation strategy would be to install the SX.enterprise Value Add module to support more efficient inventory and work order management as well as value-added processes including packaging and finishing.

Brady began the project by working with Western Wire Products’ network services provider to download the legacy data from the Prism system, convert the data, and then upload to a test copy of SX.enterprise that was installed on a new Windows 2003 server. Using the test system, Brady delivered training sessions onsite for Western Wire Products’ computer end users, showing them how they could use SX.enterprise to better perform their daily job functions. A select number of users in the office began processing with SX.enterprise first to make sure that critical business processes such as payables and receivables would continue without interruption; then, other office workers were folded into the process until everyone was familiar with the new system and how it would support their roles and responsibilities.

Satisfied that everything was going smoothly in the office, Brady focused on the implementation of SX.enterprise on the shop floor. Because the extension of the ERP system to the production environment represented a new foray for Western Wire Products, Debby recalled being concerned about how some of the production employees might react to using an ERP system for the first time. “We’re an older shop,” said Debby. “At the time, we had a lot of people who didn’t know anything about computers and a few of them were scared to death about the change.”

Brady configured the Value Add module to adapt to Western Wire Products’ requirements. A number of computer terminals were setup at accessible locations around the plant so that production workers could gain shared access to the system. Brady then demonstrated how SX.enterprise could work in a live setting, breaking down the process into easily doable tasks. John was pleased with the outcome. “Brady helped us gain confidence,” said John. “We wanted to make SX.enterprise a requirement for working on the shop floor. Our employees learned how they could use the software to enter the number of parts made, the amount of wire used, and to close their work orders. We think everyone caught on pretty quick.”

As Western Wire Products personnel practiced using SX.enterprise, Brady returned for refresher courses and to ensure that everything remained on track. Meanwhile, John and Debby parallel processed in both the Prism and SX.enterprise systems in order to anticipate any potential issues that might arise at the go-live. After months of testing and training, Brady made a final data conversion and was onsite to support the customer when it first began using SX.enterprise in early January, 2007. The software has been running successfully ever since with up to twenty five concurrent computer end users supported.

E&A’s Solution Benefits Western Wire Products

SX.enterprise has helped Western Wire Products develop a leaner, more competitive business that offers substantial benefits for both the company and its customers.

The migration from the character-based Prism system to SX.enterprise’s friendlier, graphical user interface and powerful Progress database has made it easier for Western Wire Products to access and process information, in turn allowing the company to enrich its customer service interactions. Comparing the experience before and after implementing SX.enterprise, Debby said, “Using a Windows-based program has made it easier for us to enter orders while we’re on the phone which is something we couldn’t do before," said Debby. "Now we can quickly access the database to view account profiles and past purchase histories. We can see what stock quantities are available in inventory and quote prices for our customers on the fly. In fact, we can capture all the other details we may need to complete the transaction, including how the customer might want it shipped: does it need to be sent on our normal schedule, rush, or future delivery? We can take care of everything in one call so that our customers can place their orders in confidence and get on with the rest of their busy day,” she continued.

On the other hand, Debby commented on the benefit of using SX.enterprise to convert quotes to orders in case the customer is not quite ready to buy on the first call. “This is very helpful whenever we might have previously quoted a job but the customer calls back at a later time to finalize the order. Prism couldn’t do this!,” stressed Debby. “With SX.enterprise, we have saved hours and reduced errors because we no longer have to rekey these orders. And of course, when we process orders more efficiently our customers perceive greater value, too.”

As the Western Wire Products front office staff enters hundred of sales orders into SX.enterprise every day, the company’s back office team issues work orders to the shop floor. Prior to implementing E&A’s solution, handling the work orders that included blanket orders had been a particular challenge. Many of the company’s customers are other manufacturers and industrial end users who must ensure an uninterrupted supply of products for their own production processes. With SX.enterprise, Western Wire Products has found a solution that serves its customer’s needs while improving its operational efficiencies.

“All of the sales orders we receive show up in the SX.enterprise replenishment report and are carefully reviewed on a weekly basis prior to issuing the work orders,” explained John. “We decide how much we want to manufacture at a given time because we have a much better view of the demand curve than we had before. For example, the report might flag a part that’s running low in our inventory; whereas other parts might suggest a larger batch due to plating minimums and other cost factors. In the case of a blanket order, if we know we’ve got requirements coming up over the next three or four months we might decide to produce a larger batch up front,” John elaborated.

Through this better synchronization of customer demand with its production processes, Western Wire Products has achieved significant reductions in inventory, thereby freeing up working capital for other productive purposes without sacrificing customer service levels. “We’re not going to make, say, half a million parts for a customer and allow the inventory to sit on the shelf for the next year,” said John. “Instead, we might produce a couple hundred thousand to take us through the next three months and make more later. The bottom line is that with SX.enterprise, we’re carrying fewer dollars in finished goods even as we continue to improve customer satisfaction.”

The work orders generated in the Value Add module might indicate that a particular product requires additional processing, either in-house or through a third party. “The work order includes fields for entering materials, labor and additional finishing processes such as kitting, heat treating or plating,” said John. “When we get to the point that we’ve requisitioned the wire and completed the labor, we simply use the drop down feature on the Value Add screen to create a purchase order for the particular process we need. In the shipping department, the PO is sent to the vendor who will arrange to pick up the parts. After the finishing process is completed, the product comes back to our warehouse and put on the shelf for delivery to the customer. It’s all very seamless,” stated John.

Debby underscored John’s point. “Before, we’d have boxes with all of the orders that were sent for heat treating, plating, and other processes,” said Debby. “When we received the finished goods, we had to thumb through the file to pull the ticket and match it up with the inventory. With SX.enterprise, we no longer have to worry about that.”

John went on to describe how SX.enterprise subsequently releases the finished goods for picking and packing at just the right moment. “We print the pick tickets late in the afternoon so that when our employees arrive the next morning they are ready to go,” said John. “We don’t print future orders until the date has arrived; there’s nothing out there but today’s business.” The workers pack inventory in bulk into drums and by pieces into boxes of 250, 500, 1,000 and more. Importantly, by tightly controlling the release of work into the warehouse Western Wire Products has been able to do a better job of balancing its workload; meaning that fewer temporary workers are needed to pick and pack jobs during peak demand periods, a labor savings that translates into tens of thousands of dollars on an annual basis.

Automation has been extended to the shipping desk, too. “Before, everything was hand-written. If you received a phone call from a customer asking about an order, you’d have to physically go to the folder in the file cabinet and pull the information – if you could find it!” said Debby. “Now, when our employees pack a carton for shipment, they simply enter the weights of each carton into SX.enterprise which E&A has integrated with UPS. Whenever our customers phone in to check the statuses of their orders, we can answer their questions because we have instant access to all of the relevant shipping information including tracking numbers. It’s so much better and faster for us and our customers!” enthused Debby.

An added benefit Western Wire Products has enjoyed since it has reengineered its business processes with SX.enterprise has been to implement a cycle counting program, thereby saving the down time, expense and hassle of conducting annual physical inventories. “We used to shut down the plant and spend up to three days every year doing a complete inventory,” said John. “Today, we use bar code scanners to cycle count which we do religiously. As a consequence of the robust inventory management processes we have in place, our accounting firm has agreed that we can simply eliminate the task of counting the finished products and keep the plant open for production year round.”

E&A Managed Services Helps Out in a Pinch

As the value of its business data has grown, Western Wire Products has taken steps to ensure its information remains safe. In 2009 the company asked E&A’s Managed Services group led by Ken Litaker to install a cohesive network monitoring system featuring the Pro Recovery data backup and recovery (DBR) solution. The system that Ken configured provides near continuous, real-time backups using secure, off-site data storage including multi-year archiving and virtualization capabilities.

The decision proved timely. A few months after the managed services solution was implemented, the Windows 2003 server that Western Wire Products had long relied upon to power its SX.enterprise application failed. “When our server crashed, we turned to the DBR solution to keep the business running,” recalled Debby. “This was fortunate because it took several days to repair the server. Eventually, we got everything back online including all of our SX.enterprise data.”

Ken explained that when the server went down, E&A decided to make a virtual image of Western Wire Products’ server on the Pro Recovery server. The virtualized machine would allow a select number of end users to continue servicing customers using SX.enterprise. “Once the server was fixed, the system state that existed prior to the failure was restored,” said Ken. “We then folded in the data captured from the virtual server to get the system completely up to date. Apart from the temporary limitation in capacity, the customer was able to successfully work through a scenario that might otherwise have had a severe, negative disruption to their business,” cautioned Ken.

Looking Ahead

Western Wire Products’ partnership with E&A has helped the company implement lean manufacturing and distribution practices that bode well for its future. While many others in the industry continue to struggle, Western Wire Products has lately seen a surge in sales orders as the economy rebounds and thousands of loyal customers return to a trusted, reliable source.

“Service is our competitive advantage and we believe E&A has helped us build that advantage,” said John. “We couldn’t have done this on our own. Brady’s implementation and ongoing support has been invaluable. And E&A’s help desk returns our calls for support pretty quick; if there is ever an emergency, they’re right on it.”

John summed up how E&A’s solution has positively impacted Western Wire Products. “SX.enterprise provides the information we need to manage a successful business. We have a high degree of confidence that our inventory numbers are accurate and that we can surpass our customer’s expectations. We can accomplish all this and handle surges in business with fewer employees because we are able to get more work done than possible before.”

To learn more about Western Wire Products, visit their web site at www.westernwireprod.com.