Elliott Davis was asked: “What are the risks with our planned IT investment, and will it help meet our strategic business objectives?”
Context
- Full-service Chemical company supporting custom development and manufacturing services as well as delivery of internal product lines
- Processes were extremely manual, without standardized workflows managed by chemical ‘recipes’ stored in paper binder
- IT outsourced with limited alignment to corporate and business objectives
- Based on interviews, Elliott Davis engaged to support these project tracks:
- Identify how IT can effectively improve manufacturing processes, including delivery times and earnings
- Evaluate IT operations to identify areas of potential improvement
- Provide project management
Our Approach
Track 1: IT Investment Evaluation
- Assessed solution costs, labor, hardware, and software
- Performed viability analysis of provider and its competitors
- Provided return on investment analysis and input into solution implementation plan
Track 2: Assessing IT Performance
- Evaluated current state IT including strategy, people, processes, and technology
- Performed benchmark of IT spend
- Assessed environment cybersecurity and compliance gaps
Track 3: Project Management
- Integration of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and data historian database
- Installation of new server and Wi-Fi infrastructure
- Managed and coordinated pace and costs associated with three different software/ hardware solutions
Customer Impact
Track 1: Moved from paper binders to tablet with real-time feed to ERP system
- Immediate improvement in quality assurance testing- delivery, speed, and results
- Improved on-time delivery and real-time inventory management
- Reduced rush delivery costs
- Realized ability to grow without limited headcount investment
- Ability to identify cycle time issues immediately, vs. in 4 to 6 weeks
Track 2: Scorecard of results delivered, including detailed analysis and recommendations
- Identified areas of highest risk in IT operations and delivery
- Developed series of short-term and long-term recommendations and focus areas based on planned IT investment
Track 3: Project Management
- Project completed on time and within budget!
We Can Help
For more information on how Elliott Davis can assist you and your business, contact a member of our team.
The information provided in this communication is of a general nature and should not be considered professional advice. You should not act upon the information provided without obtaining specific professional advice. The information above is subject to change.
