MAS Software Solutions Slices A New ERP System for Weber
Renowned for unsurpassed throughput, trouble-free performance and hygienic operation that is demonstrably superior, Weber is recognized as the world leader in the design and manufacture of sophisticated Slicing Systems for red meat, pork, poultry and cheese processors. From their centrally located North American Technology Center and Product Demonstration facility in Kansas City, Mo., Weber provides a full line of Slicing Systems as well as parts, machinery, technical support and service to a wide variety of processors in North America.
With their parent company located in Germany, Weber first came to the United States in 1996 with zero market share, and in the last 14 years have increased it to over 70% through properly identifying the needs within their market. With annual sales ranging from 30 to 35 million, Weber typically sells about 50 machines a year ranging in price from $100,000 to 1 million dollars. Additionally about 25% of their business comes from the replacement of consumable parts and providing ongoing service to their customers. Most parts are supplied from their parent company in Germany, resulting in about a one month lead time from when something is ordered to when it is received.
Dull Systems Cause Data Integrity Problems
As Weber experienced growth they realized that their small business accounting system was not providing the information they needed causing significant problems. Rob Mogren, CFO for Weber recalls, “Inventory control became a major issue. Despite having strict internal controls and actively watching our procedures, we continuously encountered our system telling us we had an item in stock that wasn’t really there. We couldn’t figure out where the process was breaking down.” This issue had to be corrected as soon as possible. Rob explains, “Our customers run manufacturing facilities and if their Weber Slicer isn’t working for any reason their whole operation has to be shut down. If we don’t have the part they need in stock, the wait to receive it from Germany could result in huge downtime costs.” Another issue Weber was experiencing was that they could only pull standard reports and do small levels of customization, but didn’t have access to the raw data they wanted to see in order to make the best decisions for their business.
MAS Software Solutions Sharpens Weber’s System
Weber needed to make a change so they began their search for new software. After reviewing several accounting journals and software systems they decided that Sage MAS90 was the right choice. Rob recalls, “We chose Sage MAS90 because it had the best reviews and seemed to have everything we wanted in a new solution. We worked with a local Sage vendor and had them install our new system. After the installation was complete we needed to understand how to customize it for our specific needs however the original vendor could not help us. We felt that we had reached the end of that vendor’s technical ability, so we began to look for a different partner who had a better and deeper knowledge of the software.” Weber was referred to MAS Software Solutions and finally found the expert they needed. “When MAS Software Solutions came out to meet with us we immediately knew we had the right company. We don’t have a formal IT staff, and the team at MAS understood how MAS 90 would impact our network. They could solve network and permission errors, and understood how to make our system work for our specific business needs.”
While Sage MAS90 is a great product right out of the box, it also has the ability to be configured to meet each organization’s specific requirements. MAS Software Solutions was able to install a barcode system which helps Weber ensure that they are operating at their maximum potential and maintaining 100% accurate inventory counts. “They also helped us with our forms, invoices and reports,” recalls Rob. “The reports come with a limit to the number of characters you can include, but the team at MAS was able to override the limits so that we can include the details necessary for our customers.”
Furthermore, MAS Software Solutions helped Weber with their Paperless Office solution and ACH payment system. Like many companies, Weber used to process checks the old fashioned way, but the team at MAS introduced them to ACH which allows them to process all payments electronically. “We are saving huge amounts of time with our new system. Our accounts payable process has decreased by 10 hours per week giving our employees the time to focus on other projects.” Of the Paperless Office solution Rob said, “We never would have thought of purchasing something like this as an add on because we had no idea how much time we were wasting. We used to print every document to a .pdf and then give it a customized name and find or create a place to file it, and now it’s all automatic. The records are cataloged and kept in specific files eliminating our frustration and time to find the documents. It’s fantastic!”
Weber Cuts a Plan for Growth
When Weber outgrew their old system they had around 4,000 parts to keep track of. After much growth they now have over 25,000 parts which are all tracked smoothly and accurately in the new system. With such great success so far in both their new solution, and their companies growth, Weber is considering a move to Sage MAS200, and possibly converting to SageCRM for a truly end-to-end system. They are confident that the transition to the next system is in good hands with MAS Software Solutions. Rob concludes, “We really couldn’t be happier with our system, and in our partnership with MAS Software Solutions. When I talk to the MAS team I don’t feel like I’m talking to a sales person rather a technology advisor. I don’t have to worry about what they tell me, or have my guard up. I trust their advice keeps our best interest in mind which is a very comfortable place to be.”