Case Study: Radar systems manufacturer hits the mark with MRP software

Blighter Surveillance Systems based near Cambridge designs and produces solid-state ground-based radar systems, supplying them to the UK Ministry of Defense, the US Department of Defense, NATO, and organisations in 35 countries.

Since its inception, Blighter had managed its workloads and bills of materials (BOMs) on spreadsheets; In 2019, however, the management team decided that without a robust manufacturing software solution, the company would not be able to align the production effort with its expanding market ambitions. Thus, the search for suitable manufacturing software began.

Multi-level BOMs with up to 60,000 components

Blighter had been formulating its engineering database and assigning its own part numbers for years. They needed a system that could build on the existing work, track manufacturing processes, and provide visibility on stock movements.

James Watt, supply chain coordinator explained that a product BOM can consist of up to 60,000 components. “We needed a system where we could define our own individual part numbers, control revisions, and manage multi-level BOMs. We weren’t looking for something with all the bells and whistles that would take a hundred thousand pounds to implement like SAP. But we still needed a solution for controlling production and the flow of material through the business.”

It was one of the team’s accountants that came across MRPeasy while looking for an MRP system which would integrate well with their accounting system, Xero. A number of other systems were evaluated but it was chosen as it offered the right balance between functionality and ease of use at an attractive price point.

Implementation revealed a host of useful functionalities

Initial implementation of MRPeasy began in Autumn 2020 and was completed in just under 6 months. The system perfectly met Blighter’s requirements for capable multi-level BOM management, enabled a high level of control over inventory movements, whilst also aligning seamlessly with the accounting team’s requirements. Furthermore, the team also managed to implement many useful functions including a suitable part numbers system, user defined fields, a PDF editor, version, and revision control.

Efficiency gains bolster operational health

With MRPeasy, the company has gained a lot more control over its operations. “MRPeasy has helped us hugely with controlling the flow of goods and making sure we haven’t got loads of bits sitting around that we don’t know what they’re for. It’s really saved us from having too much cash tied up in stock,” James explained.

Since Blighter predominantly uses subcontractors for their assembly and manufacturing needs, another game-changer has been managing transfer orders. With MRPeasy, the company can free issue inventory to another site but still see the value of stock and have it tracked and controlled.

In summary, MRPeasy has helped Blighter reach a sophisticated level of control over their manufacturing and stock management and is providing ease of mind in assuring the company’s continued growth without breaking the bank.

For more information about MRPeasy and its impact on the manufacturing industry, please visit MRPeasy.com