FAST™ Ag Solutions ERP Case Study

The Challenge

FAST™ Ag Solutions, operating from a 144,000 sq ft facility, manufactures high-quality liquid fertilizer applicators and sprayer products for a national farming market. Following the recession, the company experienced accelerated growth but struggled with a legacy software system that lacked essential shop floor management features. The inability to accurately track inventory, manage complex bills of materials and produce reliable cost data led to inefficient manual processes and hindered operational visibility. As demand increased, these challenges exposed gaps in planning, purchasing and production control, highlighting the urgent need for an integrated, manufacturing-focused ERP solution.

The Solution

Recognizing the limitations of their manual and outdated processes, FAST™ Ag Solutions evaluated options to modernize their operations. After careful consideration, the company selected Global Shop Solutions ERP software for its robust manufacturing capabilities, modular flexibility and comprehensive suite of tools. Implementation required extensive data entry and initial setup, but the long-term benefits quickly became apparent. As CFO Cody Fast explains, “With Global Shop Solutions, it’s a different story. It took us several months to enter all our part numbers into the system and get everything set up. But now we can easily create large, multi-level BOMs in a fraction of the time it used to take to do everything by hand.” The GS Mobile application transformed inventory receiving and traceability, as ERP Administrator John Schwartz notes: “Our head of receiving really likes GS Mobile. Her team scans inventory items straight from the purchase order, the system automatically receives the part and it prints out the barcode label for the part on the spot. It’s fast, efficient and provides excellent traceability of the parts.” The modular design allowed targeted training for employees, as Schwartz adds, “Because Global Shop Solutions is modular, you don’t have to train everyone on the whole system. You teach each person the module or modules they need to use for their job, and let them focus on getting real good in those areas.”

The Results

Since implementing Global Shop Solutions ERP, FAST™ Ag Solutions has realized measurable gains in accuracy, efficiency and profitability. The company now efficiently manages two product lines and a growing parts department within its 144,000 sq ft facility. Multi-level BOM creation is faster and more reliable, inventory accuracy has improved through barcoding and mobile scanning and purchasing processes are automated for reduced manual entry. The integration of APS has enabled better forecasting and inventory optimization. Most importantly, the ERP system provides the financial visibility required to make strategic pricing and costing decisions. As CFO Cody Fast emphasizes, “Global Shop Solutions gives us more confidence in the accuracy of the numbers. And knowing our costs better is huge. As a manufacturer, you’re always looking to increase margins and price where possible and appropriate, and the ERP software has allowed us to know where we need to be on price to effectively target our margins.”