In the competitive world of sub-contract precision engineering, staying ahead of the curve is key to success. At Lancashire-based
K & M Precision Engineering Ltd, a family-run business, the quest for efficiency and growth has led to an investment in a PSL Datatrack production control software system.
Founded in 1998 by Kevin Taylor and his father Malcom, K & M boasts a proud 25-year legacy in the sub-contract precision engineering sector. With 13 dedicated team members, including Kevin as the owner and managing director, his daughter Denise Dunderdale as the administration director and his son-in-law Robert Murphy as the operations director, the company has established a reputation as a reliable provider of CNC machined components for customers in a variety of industrial sectors.
Before embracing PSL Datatrack, K & M relied on manual quoting methods and business administration procedures which caused many challenges, primarily the need to duplicate information across the board. These inefficiencies were becoming a serious bottleneck, hindering business growth and operational efficiency. K & M’s production control software journey began with a simple Google search. The company’s leadership team were seeking a solution that could streamline operations, reduce duplication of work and provide a robust system for tracking works orders and costs. PSL Datatrack was swiftly identified as the resolution to these challenges.
Denise said that the implementation of PSL Datatrack was a “smooth and collaborative effort”. Following a slick demonstration of the software, PSL Datatrack was installed and adopted by key personnel in a number of departments, including administration, accounts and sales. PSL Datatrack worked closely with K & M to during the installation process to tailor the system to the sub-contractor’s existing workflow with a particular focus on the company’s process layouts. These detailed sheets provide a complete engineering specification to the shopfloor and PSL Datatrack’s effort ensured a seamless transition with minimal disruption to K & M’s daily activities.
The adoption of PSL Datatrack resulted in a number of significant organisational benefits for K & M. Denise added: “The administration process now runs much more smoothly, with all historical data stored in one centralised location. This streamlined approach allows us to efficiently manage and track repeat work.”
K & M also discovered unexpected advantages of PSL Datatrack. A significant time-saving was noted when booking in purchase orders and tracing material back to the correct works order for example. These unforeseen benefits have further contributed to efficiency and overall productivity. While the company has not explicitly monitored its quoting success rate, the company has experienced sustained growth over the past year.
Denise said that this can be partly attributed to efficiency improvements with PSL Datatrack. Looking forward, K & M plans to extend its usage of PSL Datatrack by implementing the ‘Sequential Scheduler’ module, which is designed to calculate start and end dates for all operations belonging to active works orders and to determine whether any cost centres are over capacity. This will allow the company to plan times and schedules per machine and provide better forecasting to its customer base.
For K & M, the journey towards operational excellence and growth in the subcontract precision engineering industry has been significantly empowered by PSL Datatrack production control software. The system has not only streamlined the company’s administrative processes but has also improved traceability, efficiency and overall productivity.
Denise concluded: “With a future focus on scheduling and forecasting, K & M is poised to continue its upward trajectory with PSL Datatrack as a valued partner.”