Seon Design, a manufacturer of video surveillance systems for mobile applications, identified a need to improve product assembly, supply chain management and post-sales tracking during a time of rapid product class expansion.
Incorporated in 1999 and headquartered in British Columbia, Seon Design has become the leading global manufacturer of custom designed video surveillance systems for bus and coach, shipping tens of thousands of systems per year. The company employs approximately 100 employees in a 34 000-square foot manufacturing facility.
Mike Vader, Seon's Operations Manager, says: "In 2004, we were undergoing a period of very rapid product class expansion. We were designing and manufacturing different versions of our recording systems and cameras, adding recent technical innovations, and trying to tailor those to our customers' needs."
Seon determined a need for a material requirements planning (MRP) package that would increase the efficiency of its supply chain. "We primarily source in North America, but we also buy components from manufacturers worldwide," Vader says. "Depending on the part, our supplier lead times vary from 16 to 20 weeks."
The company needed a system to handle the rapid increase in complexity it was experiencing in post-sales tracking. "As product continued to be revised, it became increasingly difficult to know the revision level of any specific product shipped to the customer. We also needed a tracking system that would complement our strong customer service support," Vader says.
In 2005, after evaluating three or four alternatives, Seon chose SYSPRO for its strengths in manufacturing. SYSPRO's MRP module promised to improve Seon's production planning and control, by automating the company's supply chain, and by creating work orders for the shop floor.
The software's serial tracking ability allows Seon to review the components used in any individual build, while the Engineering Change Control module records the revision and release of sub-assemblies used in the finished production of systems. At the same time, the Return Merchandise Authorisation module keeps a precise record of service calls and repairs. Seon also groups inventory into Sales Kits (part of SYSPRO's Sales Order module), allowing the company to bundle product together as complete systems.
"Last but not least, when we were looking at exporting new and diversified product classes, we recognised the power of SYSPRO's sales analysis modules, which allow us to group and report on the sales performance of those product classes as a whole, as opposed to single stock-keeping units (SKUs)," Vader points out.
"Thanks to SYSPRO, we now have the ability to better analyse performance by product class. We can also review customer purchasing history, with a full record of components used in serialised items. In addition, we can provide suppliers with a supply chain schedule that suits their needs. SYSPRO has worked with us as our operations have expanded to the next level of manufacturing, allowing us to plan for the future."
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