Fabricated metal product manufacturing is transforming metal into end products, other than machinery, computers, metal furniture, and other metal formed products. Companies in this industry forge, bend, weld, machine, and assemble. This industry is competitive and the demand is driven by the needs of other industrial companies, therefore is linked to economic growth.
The success of these companies is based on efficient manufacturing and technical expertise. Smaller companies are able to have a competitive edge, due to the use of many products and specialized nature.
Segments of the fabricated metal product manufacturing are architectural products, cutlery, kitchenware, coating, plating, and even pipe manufacturing. Their sources of revenue include the fabricated structural and architectural metal products, machine shops, and more. Other sources of revenue include stamping, coating, and engraving.
Top producers of fabricated metal products include: United States, China, Japan, Canada, Italy, and Germany. In China, lower prices for oil and other commodities have contributed to a slow economy. Concerns about this slower growth could reduce the demand for machinery and equipment.
In the United States, the fabricated metal product manufacturing industry includes over 50,000 companies with about $350 billion in annual revenue. In this industry, revenues are expected to increase. It tends to flow with general fluctuations in the economy. There is expected to be increased government funding and construction through the year 2020.
This industry is characterized by low market share. Many products are produced contractually and must meet certain specifications. This limits economies of scale. Nonetheless, they are better able to offer products at competitive prices and maintain good returns.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software collects, manages, and stores information for a myriad of business activities. It has the ability to integrate with most existing systems that companies already own. Metal fabrication ERP systems have to address the challenges for this specific industry.
Companies are executing cost-reducing measures that include shut down of plants, inventory reductions, and improvements to efficiency via modern technology. Recent advances have made it possible for fabricators to run complex simulations. They include more accurate pricing, easier trouble-shooting, and improved quality.
The metal fabrication industry has particular demands. Business is lost if you cannot meet customers’ expectations of high-quality and low price points. The fully integrated ERP system can eliminate data entry and spreadsheets that become overwhelming. The ERP system allows control over production schedules, as well as deliveries. All of this while giving real-time information.
ERP software can integrate global sales, development, production, and management processes, as well as day to day activities. It also provides alerts when problems arise and minimizes error that can occur with manual processing. It also allows fabricators the ability to take full advantage of improvement opportunities such as Internet-based sourcing, procurement spending, and visibility to reach bottom-line benefits.
Everything needed to increase production and revenue can be found with using an ERP system. You can prepare quotes easily and then automatically email them with the email interface. It can also support multiple recipients. Production processing can be customized within the software, as opposed to using predefined processes.
There are key components of ERP software for metal fabrication:
Fully integrated business processes that can take functions to a more productive level. Quality management that improves customer service, controls costs, and improves overall processes. Advanced scheduling and planning. Compliance by looking ahead to required documentations and certifications. Minimizes equipment down-time and manages tooling.
Complete engineering change control, products’ life cycle, and tracking with internal and external operations. ERP software specifically for metal fabrication includes tools that can gather and analyze data. This turns into useful information for planning purposes. You can personalize the customer portal and collaborate with ease. The ERP software can synchronize manufacturing, as well as supply chain management to save time and reduce errors.