Infor, provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, has announced that specialist valve manufacturer Koso Kent Introl has invested in Infor LN as part of a radical business transformation programme. The initiative, which is based on lean management principles and will have this new enterprise resource planning (ERP) application at its heart, is expected to drive significant growth. Infor LN is set to go live in Spring 2014.
Koso Kent Introl specialises in the supply of standard service control valves, severe service control valves, high-technology subsea and topside choke valves and high-performance rotary valves for the oil and gas, petrochemical and power industries.
As part of an ongoing programme of continuous improvement and the adoption of lean manufacturing principles, Koso Kent Introl has identified a range of manufacturing and supply chain business processes that will be radically developed.
Following extensive root cause analysis, this business process change will contribute to an aggressive strategy that is expected to significantly grow the business over the next three years.
As part of these process improvements, Koso Kent Introl has invested in Infor LN for its manufacturing site in Brighouse, Yorkshire. The deployment will focus on a reduction in defects, shortening lead times and improving on time delivery rates. A key element of this strategy is the Modular Configured Product project which will enable Koso Kent Introl to improve their competitiveness in the engineer-to-order manufacturing market.
Previously, various departments throughout Koso Kent Introl had made individual modifications to the existing ERP system. This has made it difficult to transfer data and inhibited integration throughout the business. The upgrade to Infor LN will enable increased alignment between departments, leading to more comprehensive reporting and less risk of error caused by data re-entry.
Koso Kent Introl has also invested in Infor PLM and will integrate the configuration capabilities of the product lifecycle management application into LN as well as Koso Kent Introl's CAD software.
Koso Kent Introl is also planning to use the upgrade to LN as an element in their drive of cultural change across the business. The company aims to maximise employee engagement throughout the implementation of the improved system.
"This is a substantial, radical business transformation programme," said Tim Capewell, improvements manager, Koso Kent Introl. "We are going through practically every business process across our manufacturing and supply chain operations and driving out inefficiencies as we aim for aggressive growth, using lean manufacturing principles."
"This means we need an ERP system that can not only help us improve our processes now, but also act as a basis for continuous improvement. Consequently we view this as the development of a partnership with Infor."
"Engineer-to-order companies such as Koso Kent Introl know they have to adapt and embrace principles such as lean management in order to compete in a modern, global market place," said Phil Burgess, regional vice president, Infor.
"What marks Koso Kent Introl out is the sheer scope of this business transformation programme, tackling practically every single process in the company. This is set to yield substantial returns and it is a great testimony to the Infor LN application that it will take such a central role in helping to deliver such profound change."
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