In the following case study, learn how a trailblazing manufacturer and award-winning supplier to F1 harnessed digital transformation to fuel growth, facilitate additive manufacturing and accelerate productivity.
Formula 1 is the highest class of international racing for open-wheeled cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. These vehicles are built from more than 14,000 precision components in a wide variety of lightweight, exotic materials.
Each car’s performance on the racetrack is analysed in granular detail with every team seeking to extract marginal performance gains within the strict confines laid down by the race’s governing body.
This places huge pressure on the team’s sub-contract manufacturers to deliver components finished to the highest quality within challenging lead-times.
For over four and a half decades, Progressive Technology has built a reputation founded on the principles designed to meet premier motorsport’s industry component production needs. Progressive Technology’s expertise opened opportunities to developing a wider client base in aerospace, space, defence and medical industries.
Alex Ridge, ERP Developer at Progressive Technology, noted, “Our name embodies our philosophy: we are Progressive in how we invest, develop and adopt new technologies that allow us to evolve manufacturing marginal gains aimed at delivering a better service to our customers. This ongoing process of continual improvement is a testament of being the best at what we do.”
A trusted recommendation
Established in 1977, Progressive Technology has grown to become an industry-leading team that specialises in complex, small-batch, short-lead-time production. Naturally, this generates a constant challenge to balance precision and quality within short production schedules.
To maintain the pace of improvement, Progressive Technology has always sought better ways to drive its operational efficiency in line with manufacturing industry’s technological advancements. As the business has flourished, it recognised the need for technological solutions that will support its manufacturing processes in a controlled, efficient and traceable manner.
Progressive Technology became aware of Epicor in 2015 through its relationship with one of their established customers, a leading formula one team.
With their recommendation, Progressive Technology’s senior management team understood the benefits of implementing an advanced ERP platform not only to support its internal processes but also for its customers. The strength of the customer recommendation served as a catalyst for Progressive Technology’s adoption of Epicor as its ERP solution.
Energising problem solving
Very quickly, Epicor Kinetic improved the quality and completeness of end-to-end transactions to allow the production of timely and accurate financial information and KPI monitoring. It also equipped senior management with information to remotely control and monitor workshop output with minimal intervention.
Ridge acknowledged, “The transformation of having someone running around the shop floor to ensure things happened in the right way, as compared to utilising dashboards to track routing and timelines was a quantum leap in efficiency improvement. Furthermore, Epicor Kinetic eliminated errors that were inherent in a manual operation.”
The data transparency provided by Epicor enabled Progressive Technology to share information needed by clients efficiently. The provision of this information within a manual system was an unwieldy process. Citing just one example, Ridge explained: “A client asked whether it would be possible to collaborate on improving data connectivity with their goods-in receipting procedure. With Epicor Kinetic, we utilised QR codes to transmit the required information from the manifest for distribution. Within a few hours, we helped a customer convert their manual process into an automated one.”
Data-driven flexibility
Progressive Technology’s business demands a highly dynamic, flexible approach. From unique components, compressed delivery schedules, to supply chain pressures, the operations must continuously adapt. “Epicor Kinetic allowed us to daisy-chain the entire process to create a seamless inter-departmental user experience,” Ridge explained. “With the availability of robust, real-time data, we are able to accurately deep dive into operational and financial KPIs thus monitoring our business at all levels.”
Ridge shared an example of applying insights for smarter business decisions. “Epicor Kinetic enabled us to analyse the fiscal and lead time impact on selected subcontracted processes; for example, on destructive testing and heat treatment. Based on this analysis, we decided to invest in integrating these functions. The net result was an improvement in lead time, quality and process control.”
Progressive Technology’s reputation has been built on meeting challenging production targets. Alex explained, “The nature of our business is highly demand driven and being able to provide a 24/7/365 days a year service is essential to meeting our customers’ expectations. In some circumstances we could receive an order on the Friday with a requirement to be manufactured and delivered to the customer over the weekend.”
Expediting additive manufacturing
Epicor flexibility adds value in other ways too. For instance, in metallic additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing), Ridge’s team has written custom scripts to automatically attach additive manufacturing powder to the associated job, and to batch multiple jobs for booking, thereby fast-tracking processes.
Progressive Technology was one of the first companies in the UK to commercially print magnesium, a highly combustible material. Printed magnesium produces lighter components, which decreases fuel consumption in the aerospace industry and supports Progressive Technology’s sustainability objectives.
On the sustainability front, the Additive Manufacturing Group also collaborated with Russell Finex (a worldwide leader in fine mesh separation technology, also an Epicor customer) to improve AM powder recycling. The automated process reclaims unused powder using a controlled and non-contact method maintaining quality whilst significantly reducing production downtime.
Ridge highlighted, “The benefit of Epicor Kinetic is that it provides a solid framework but also allows flexibility to customise selected processes to support internal or customer requirements. That is why it is unique compared to other ERP platforms. Using APIs, we are able to develop code to associate external software platforms, such as a new proprietary HR software.” Not only does this help the company creatively problem solve now, but it also helps the company to adapt rapidly to future needs.
Driving relentless growth
Ridge emphasised the flexibility of the Epicor solution as a key true differentiator. He explained, “Potentially, any improvements you may conceive could be achieved with Epicor Kinetic. It gives you the flexibility to respond to and meet individual customer requirements quickly and effectively.”
Since 2016, Progressive Technology, has grown from 80 employees with annual sales of c. £8 m to over 240 people and annual revenues of c. £25m Epicor Kinetic has proven to be one of the key components in supporting this expansion.
A full-throttle future
As its name implies, Progressive Technology manufactures complex precision components within the shortest lead times whilst exploiting developments within smart factory and IoT.
Elaborating on these goals, Ridge revealed, “We’ve developed strong relationships with the Epicor team and a personal aspiration is to showcase how Epicor Kinetic is working in an avant-garde environment, helping make pioneering products.
“I’m quite excited about where we are going together, and what the future holds.”
Follow the link below to hear from Ridge how Epicor has allowed Progressive Technology to digitally transform its business.
