Who:
For 30 years JMR’s (formerly Trimm) combined focus in data storage systems with its ability to visualize and manufacture from concept to final product has set it apart as industry leaders in data storage solutions.
Website:
Location:
Headquartered in Chatsworth, California.
Business Problem:
Looking to respond faster to customers’ needs, Trimm was in need of a leading-edge system to improve materials planning requirements, as well as a more flexible production capability.
Solution:
glovia.com was the only product that offered the necessary scalability together with the versatility to support existing and new business opportunities anywhere in the world.
Benefit:
Over the two years or so since then, glovia.com has provided Trimm with significant business benefits. First and foremost, the company is now faster to market with its new products. In such a dynamic industry area, this is vital.
Established in 1928, Trimm Technologies is one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers of high-performance computer storage subsystems, assemblies and enclosures. The company, which is part of the US-based Trimm Group, has manufacturing facilities in Las Vegas and Nottingham, UK. It employs a total of more than 200 people and has revenues in the region of $50 million.
As a technology-focused company, Trimm has a tradition of investing in staff, facilities and state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. It has also adopted a progressive approach to information technology (IT), with a robust, reliable infrastructure being seen as essential for effective coordination of operations on different continents. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the company’s implementation of CrescentOne’s ERP product, glovia.com.
“We needed a leading-edge system to give us an improved view of our materials planning requirements, as well as a more flexible production capability, so that we could react more quickly to our customers’ needs,” commented Alan Honarmand, managing director of Trimm Technologies Ltd, the company’s UK subsidiary.
After evaluating the market, Trimm Technologies choose CrescentOne
According to Honarmand, glovia.com was the only product that offered the necessary scalability together with the versatility to support existing and new business opportunities anywhere in the world. CrescentOne International’s global presence was a particularly important factor in the decision. The new system went live in Las Vegas in November 1998 and in Nottingham some five months later.
Significant Benefits
Over the two years or so since then, glovia.com has provided Trimm with significant business benefits. First and foremost, the company is now faster to market with its new products. In a dynamic industry area, this is vital.
“Through its engineering modules, glovia.com has enabled us to cut time-to-market substantially. This has enabled us to launch new products when they have maximum impact on the market, giving us an edge over our competitors. We have also seen a substantial reduction in the number of shop-floor processes, so that we get the finished product out of the door more quickly than we did in the past,” explained Honarmand.
Internally, the use of glovia.com has cut costs substantially. The number of staff involved with purchasing and production scheduling, for example, has been reduced by half. Further savings are being made through a continual reduction in inventory levels, which is having a significant impact on cash flow. Trimm’s original stock control functionality was unable to adequately forecast product or materials requirements, which invariably led to excess inventory on some component lines and inadequate stock on others. With the materials planning capabilities of glovia.com, Trimm now has a clear view of what manufacturing materials are required and when.
Another major advantage of the new system was the ability to integrate with the Cognos Impromptu business intelligence tool set. The use of Cognos Impromptu is enabling Trimm to manage the business using a relatively small number of reports, rather than having to search through large volumes of data whenever business decisions need to be made, as in the past.
“Trimm can now focus its efforts on manufacturing the right product at the right time to satisfy customers, while at the same time having full visibility of manufacturing and supply costs right across the supply chain. Importantly, we are now also able to identify margin per product sold – a significant benefit,” said Honarmand.
We are very pleased with the service we’ve had from CrescentOne International, both during and after the implementation. We are very keen to see the relationship continue and flourish in the future, and we look forward to introducing new CrescentOne products into our facilities on both sides of the Atlantic.
Global Implementation
In addition, the global implementation of glovia.com ensures effective communication between the UK, the parent organization in Las Vegas, and the holding company in Pittsburgh. Daily reporting of sales and inventory information is done electronically from glovia.com, as is monthly reporting of financial data. Quality management practices can now be shared across the organization, and inventory can be managed globally, which was not possible in the past.
Recently, Trimm has been looking into the possibility of a 100 per cent web-enabled version of glovia.com that provides comprehensive support for e-commerce. According to Honarmand, the implementation of closer electronic links with customers is a top priority for the near future. Not only will this enable Trimm to keep abreast of industry trends but it will also support further improvements in customer service.
“We want our customers to be able to interact with our website in order to obtain customized quotes, place orders online, and track the progress of their orders. This means that the website will need to be integrated with our other internal systems, and CrescentOne provides the resources to enable us to do just that, We anticipate that over the next six months we will be starting work on glovia.e, an e-commerce solution from CrescentOne International,” commented Honarmand.
In the meantime, glovia.com is providing Trimm with smooth, trouble-free operation. According to Honarmand, the company has much more confidence in the integrity of its data than ever before, and there are no issues surrounding accuracy of information.
“It was not without trepidation that we set out to find a new ERP system. There was a lot of talk in the marketplace about systems being costly and difficult to implement, and about problems that would only become apparent during implementation and use. Understandably, therefore, we were prepared for things to go wrong – but our concerns were groundless,” said Honarmand.
“We are very pleased with the service we’ve had from CrescentOne International, both during and after the implementation. We are very keen to see the relationship continue and flourish in the future, and we look forward to introducing new CrescentOne products into our facilities on both sides of the Atlantic.”
