Case Study: Chemical manufacturer finds competitive advantage with MRP software

Craft chemical manufacturer Stakam has managed to bring its inventory management to a new level of efficiency with MRPeasy. Managing Director Alistair Watson says, “We are proud to have such a good system in place. It’s opening Stakam up to new possibilities in terms of flexibility.”

A unique business model in the chemical manufacturing landscape

Stakam is a chemical manufacturing company based in Scotland specializing in custom chemicals manufacturing solutions. The company has 10 full time employees and partnerships in Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, and hails itself as the world’s first craft chemicals manufacturer, lending the term from craft breweries wherein small companies can take on large producers by offering superior production flexibility and an ability to scale up to commercial volumes in record pace.

Need for manufacturing software that aligns with the flexibility of operations

Knowing the complexity inherent in bespoke chemical manufacturing, Alistair always knew that a versatile manufacturing software platform is a must in ensuring long-time success with a scaling business that needs to keep its production workflows flexible.

Having decided squarely in favor of the cloud-based accounting platform Xero early on, Alistair only looked at providers that promised a native Xero integration. “I looked at what apps Xero recommended for my requirements. There were a few but I decided then and there that MRPeasy seemed the best fit. “

Rolling out functionality as the use-case evolves

From day one, Stakam appreciated MRPeasy’s modular design and incremental feature deployment. Given the company’s unique needs and scaling aspirations, being able to layer in functionalities step by step was paramount. This ensured a smooth adoption process, allowing the team to adjust to the new system without getting overwhelmed.

The modular approach gave confidence in the software’s capability to grow in alignment with the company’s size and ambitions.

A manufacturing software companion that facilitates growth

One of the pivotal decisions in Stakam’s MRPeasy journey was integrating the platform with Xero right from inception. For others looking to implement the software, Watson asserts, “I’d wholeheartedly recommend integrating MRPeasy with an accounting solution like Xero straight away. Without this synergy, you’re leaving much of its intrinsic value on the table. For us, the synchronisation between the MRP system and our accounting platform is invaluable. In fact, integration with Xero is so essential that we’d prioritise it over a sophisticated MRP that didn’t offer such connectivity.”

Watson further extols the software’s adaptability, exemplified by Stakam’s contract manufacturing undertakings. “The system effortlessly handles our varied manufacturing needs. For instance, when clients provide us with raw materials at no cost for contract manufacturing orders, MRPeasy allows us to mark them distinctly whilst maintaining separately priced raw materials for other Bills of Materials. This is simply astounding.”

Stakam’s usage of MRPeasy has evolved into more than just software adoption, it’s also about finding a strategic advantage in the manufacturing realm. Watson explains: “I feel like we struck gold with MRPeasy. It’s become such an asset that I often grapple between wanting to keep it as our secret weapon and the desire to showcase our robust systems, which have unlocked more flexibility to drive client acquisition.”

All in all, Stakam hasn’t just found a capable software solution in MRPeasy – it feels it has secured a partner that echoes both the company’s growth aspirations as well as its operational intricacies.

MRPeasy is a manufacturing ERP software for small businesses with 10-200 employees. MRPeasy users report a 54% average improvement in the overall performance of their company and a 42% increase in on-time deliveries. More info and a free trial are available at MRPeasy.com