Manufacturing execution system – by 4each

Driven by excellence, along with an eagerness to deliver innovative solutions for unique customers with exciting challenges – that’s Vlassenroot’s DNA. From the supply of bended half shells to the lifting industry to the production of fully welded booms, chassis and turntables… their growth is one of a kind. This leading supplier of critical steel components expects IT partners to show as much expertise and dedication as they do. Software needs and more specifically their search for a more efficient manufacturing execution system (MES) brought them to 4each.

With their growth, Vlassenroot has extended their competences from offering cutting and bending to also include welding, machining, assembly and painting. They offer these competences to a wider range of industries. Their core business hence became the production of advanced steel components made of specialty steel produced according to the highest quality standards – and this in Belgium, Germany and Poland. And 4each has now completed development for each site.

MES implementation – the app way

Back to the beginning: 2010. The start of dynamic cooperation between 4each and Vlassenroot which continues today. At the time the company had ERP problems and their MES system was all but ideal. 4each to the rescue. Vlassenroot decided to collaborate to build one system from scratch, capable of covering all requirements in one system:

Shop floor data collection

Tracking & Tracing 

Inventory management

Tool & resource management

Material & production logistics

In-production inspection

Incoming goods inspection 

Real machine communication and support for logistics, that’s what 4each was focusing on. Our developers researched, developed and implemented a tailor-made MES for Vlassenroot. The client still works with its own ERP, but all movements are controlled by our applications.

So why 4each? Vlassenroot wanted separate packages, but fully integrated with each other. This is because a lot happens on mobile applications that the operators use in production. The App way, and the MES runs perfectly on it!

Productivity boost

Using our solution has resulted in higher transparency in production and improved productivity. Some benefits of the shop floor data collection:

Complete transparency of the production processes

Less effort and fewer errors due to paperless production

Improving on time deliveries and preventing express transport

Shorter throughput times due to the reduction of idle times

General improvement in the quality of the data

Full traceability from raw material to finished product

The tracking & tracing functionality is watertight. This is not insignificant at a business that – in the case of issues with a certain plate – has to be able recall all cranes related to it. Easy peasy thanks to the raw material certificate and tracking & tracing.

The future’s 4each

The cooperation does not stop here. Vlassenroot is ready for a new ERP system. They chose Dynamics 365 because of its scalability and all-in modules. We are involved in defining the production processes, being the result of great confidence in our years of knowledge of their (production) processes. We love it. And of course, Vlassenroot can also count on us for 24/7 support for their IT systems.

 www.vlassenroot.be