Foam Design, Inc. ERP Case Study

The Challenge

Foam Design faced increasing complexity as they scaled. Their previous production management system could not support the multifaceted requirements of aerospace and defense contracts, nor deliver accurate inventory and job costing data required for jobs involving up to 60 subcomponents. Manual data entry and manipulation became the norm, creating inefficiencies that hindered responsiveness and increased the accounting department's workload. The inability to manage inventory in real time also made it challenging to maintain safety stock levels for large orders - often exceeding 10,000 units and requiring at least 5,000 in reserve - posing risks to both on-time delivery and compliance.

The Solution

Recognizing the need for an advanced ERP platform, Foam Design evaluated various solutions before selecting Global Shop Solutions ERP for its robust inventory control, job costing and real-time data capabilities. According to Chase Erwin, IT Manager at Foam Design, "We chose Global Shop Solutions for a lot of reasons, but mainly for its superb inventory control and job costing capabilities." The implementation of the ERP system replaced manual processes with automated workflows, integrated live job tracking and enabled custom dashboards for quoting and shop floor operations. The responsive support and expertise provided by Global Shop Solutions were critical to a successful rollout. As Erwin notes, "Global Shop Solutions has always been there for us, both in terms of responsiveness and problem-solving expertise. It’s nice to know we can count on them for support when we need it."

The Results

With Global Shop Solutions ERP, Foam Design transformed its manufacturing operations. The company achieved precise, real-time inventory control and accurate job costing, empowering the team to manage complex, multi-level jobs and high-volume orders with confidence. Accounting workload was reduced by approximately 25%, freeing valuable resources for other business priorities. The need for manual inventory counts was virtually eliminated with only annual checks required. Live data access on every job enabled more accurate quoting and improved shop floor processes. Erwin highlights, "The time savings in this area alone have reduced the accounting department’s workload by about 25%." and "Having access to live data on every job has transformed our quoting and shop floor processes." Today, Foam Design is well positioned to serve high-profile clients like Boeing and NASA, consistently meeting the demands of large and complex orders while maintaining stringent quality and compliance standards.