 Bigfoot
Industries Inc.
RV manufacturer integrates and optimizes data for a more efficient
operation
Overview
Since 1978, Bigfoot Industries Inc. (www.bigfootrv.com)
has provided the Recreational Vehicle, Camper and Pull Trailer industry
with state-of-the-art RV equipment. Manufacturing approximately 800
make-to-order units a year, Bigfoot’s 200 employees were conducting
duplicate data entry to standalone sales order, MRP and financial
systems. Data integrity was compromised due to a lack of system
integration. The inconsistent data integrity created excess inventories,
production delays and customer shipping delays. There was no existing
product configurator, so it was possible to instruct production to build
a unit that could not possibly be built.
The Challenge
Bigfoot needed a fully integrated ERP package that would provide
accurate real-time information and alleviate duplicate data entry. It
was also imperative to include a product configurator to ensure accurate
production builds. The lack of accurate builds resulted in Bigfoot
having to give away options installed that were not selected.
The loss of data integrity between the incompatible existing MRP
system and existing Sales Order Entry system adversely affected
purchasing. Resulting inventory errors caused delays in both production
and shipments to customers. The existing financials did not integrate
with the other existing systems, again resulting in inconsistent data
integrity.
Scheduling was non-existent, resulting in high work-in-process in
subassembly areas.
The Solution
After six months of system evaluation, Bigfoot’s selection committee
opted for the 100 percent Microsoft solution of Intuitive ERP. The fully
integrated functionality along with Intuitive ERP’s robust Advanced
Configurator assured Bigfoot the ability to produce units accurately.
Additionally, Intuitive ERP’s ability to handle multi-currency and
the flexibility of costing were also key considerations. Intuitive ERP
met 80 percent of Bigfoot’s requirements out of the box with the lowest
cost of ownership. By working with their local Intuitive representative,
system modifications were easily made to tailor the system to Bigfoot’s
particular requirements.
Bigfoot's Results
Intuitive’s Advanced Configurator provided Bigfoot the ability to
create accurate bills of material, which has reduced 26,000 lines of BOM
down to 13,000. Bigfoot expects to further optimize its BOMs in the
future. The Advanced Configurator has also helped Bigfoot streamline
production. “It allows us to set the rules necessary to make sure a
configured unit can actually be built,” said Sandra Ross, Materials
Manager for Bigfoot.
With the Intuitive ERP system integrating their sales, finance,
materials and production information, Bigfoot has completely eliminated
the duplicate entry of data. Fewer order entry errors have been a result
of orders entered only once through the Advanced Configurator. Ross also
emphasized that Bigfoot now has the “ability to pull out any information
we need, from one source, for decision making.”
The integration of information has also resulted in operational
benefits across the organization. The visibility of information gives
Bigfoot the ability to streamline their business processes. For example,
through Intuitive ERP’s Available to Promise and Item Availability
functionality, Bigfoot can now pinpoint shortages and deal with them
more quickly.
Bigfoot's Reaction
From eliminating data entry to implementing configuration rules, an
integrated enterprise system has provided Bigfoot with the opportunity
to restructure its business for optimum efficiency and growth
opportunity. “I provided the general manager with a production report
the other day that used to be quite tedious to compile,” stated Ross.
“His response was, ‘just this one report is worth the whole cost of the
system.’” |
Challenges