Alexandria Pro-Fab Co., Inc. ERP Case Study

The Challenge

As Alexandria Pro-Fab expanded its operations to over 150 employees and 100,000 sq ft of production space, their legacy production management system became a constraint. The system lacked robust inventory management, EDI integration for order entry and precise job costing, creating operational inefficiencies and limiting their ability to maintain high service levels across 3,000+ annual jobs. These gaps threatened their ability to deliver on time and manage costs effectively in highly competitive industries.

The Solution

Recognizing that their previous system could no longer meet the demands of a growing enterprise, Alexandria Pro-Fab sought an ERP solution with advanced manufacturing capabilities. After evaluating their options, they selected Global Shop Solutions ERP for its comprehensive features in planning, scheduling, inventory management and job costing. Plant Manager Dave Dahl remarked, "Our previous system served us well when we were a smaller company, but the fact is we just outgrew it." With Global Shop Solutions ERP, the team gained real-time visibility into machine schedules, enabling instant adjustments to production timelines. "With APS, we can easily see where we have available time on our machines in case we need to move up a job or push others out. And if we decide to forward or backward schedule, the results are instantaneous," Dahl noted. In addition, accounting staff appreciated the ability to instantly access and modify job data, as highlighted by Trent Sutherland: "With Global Shop Solutions, I just type in the job number and can instantly see what has shipped, what is waiting to ship, payment terms, payment history and other pertinent data. The system allows me to drill down to any level of detail, and I can easily modify the data when needed."

The Results

Adopting Global Shop Solutions ERP had a transformative impact on Alexandria Pro-Fab's manufacturing performance. The company now manages over 3,000 jobs annually, with precise tracking of raw materials, work-in-process and seamless scheduling across their  facility. On-time delivery rates surged from the low 90% range to 97.6%, and the company achieved 100% on-time delivery for its largest customer. Accurate job costing empowers the team to analyze margins and set prices with confidence. "In today’s highly competitive markets, it’s critical to know exactly what a part cost when it ships out. We can’t afford to assume that it cost $6 when it’s actually going out the door at $10. We need to know all our costs from start to finish, and we need the ability to look back and see costs, pricing and margins over time," said Dahl. With over 150 employees benefitting from real-time data and process visibility, Alexandria Pro-Fab is positioned for sustainable growth and continued operational excellence.