Ashfield Springs are committed to provide a product of consistent quality which meets all contractual requirements set out by our customers and we continually improve our manufacturing techniques, machinery and employee skills to meet future requirements.
This year was to be no exception and the focus was to reduce lead-times and improve our already impressive 98.9% on time delivery performance. The management was set the task of finding a solution to this marginal but vital improvement to our service and it was decided that it would be impossible with our current system.
The best way forward was to search for a production management system which could assist in all areas of the business from customer relations, material planning and stock control. After months of searching and endless presentations we finally found Factory Master, a company whose software offered almost everything we needed but who also had the ability to customise the package to meet our demands.
The project is now complete and we are at present the only UK spring manufacturer who has a fully integrated system which includes The Institute of Spring Technology spring design software.
We have always had issues with entering data twice because every spring we manufacture must first be checked using the spring design software and then entered onto our works order for production. Now we have the ability to export the data including tolerances to our works orders which reduces the amount of data entry and ensures that the design our customer receives with our quotation is identical to the details which are manufactured.
It doesn't stop there, the lead-times quoted are now accurate because we have the ability to plan production in real time which includes material planning and works order scheduling.
We now are able to take full control of our delivery performance not only to ensure that deliveries are on time, but also give our customers fair notice for any unforeseen delay which might adversely impact on the delivery of their order.
Our sales team can see exactly what stage of production any job is at with one click of the mouse so Ashfield Springs Ltd can now answer all our customers' questions accurately. Having this information available gives us instant visibility of our customers' orders as well as more accurate planning and scheduling of jobs.
Bryan Smith - Operations Director
For more information on our products and services please visit our website http://www.ashfield-
