Goetsch’s Welding & Machine Inc. ERP Case Study

The Challenge

Goetsch’s Welding & Machine was experiencing significant growth. The company needed a robust ERP system to unify its shop floor and back office, accelerate quoting, and manage increasingly complex process controls. Manual processes were slowing response times, particularly for quoting and engineering change management, and training new staff efficiently was becoming more challenging as the team and operations expanded.

The Solution

Recognizing the need for a scalable, integrated ERP solution, Goetsch’s Welding & Machine selected Global Shop Solutions ERP to centralize its operations and address pain points across quoting, scheduling, process control, and employee training. The decision was driven by the system’s ability to automate and structure critical processes. According to General Manager Craig Kowatch: “Global Shop Solutions offers a systematic and methodical way to build the BOMs and routers needed to quote a job. In fact, once we do the upfront data entry for the cost of the raw materials and components used in a job, the system practically builds our BOMs for us. As a result, we can build up the cost of a job very quickly. Depending on the customer and the part, we can often get a quote out in the same day we receive the RFQ.” The implementation of Global Shop Solutions ERP enabled Goetsch’s Welding & Machine to leverage automation, improve planning, and utilize a library of over 1,000 user-created custom programs to support ongoing training and workflow improvements.

The Results

After deploying Global Shop Solutions ERP, Goetsch’s Welding & Machine saw immediate and measurable benefits. The company now ships over 60,000 parts annually, with more than 66% of parts requiring outside finishing: a process now managed with enhanced visibility and control. Production scheduling was optimized, allowing more efficient use of labor resources: “Global Shop Solutions allows us to plan for what’s coming up so we use our labor more efficiently. It’s much better than arriving at next week and suddenly realizing I should have done something two weeks ago to address the labor situation,” noted General Manager Craig Kowatch. Automated engineering change notice (ECN) tracking improved compliance and traceability: “Now we can look at each ECN request and see who submitted it, why it was submitted, and then approve it and log the changes into the system. It’s much faster, and it gives us a detailed history of every ECN.” The ERP’s integrated approach reduced both office and production labor requirements, lowering overhead and enabling real-time profitability analysis: “From initial quote to setting up the routers and work orders, producing the job and shipping it out the door, Global Shop Solutions reduces the amount of office hours and production labor hours to get the job done. Your overhead goes down, and as soon as a job is complete, you can see whether you made or lost money.” With access to a robust suite of customization options and over 1,000 user-created programs, Goetsch’s Welding & Machine continues to drive process improvements, support staff training, and maintain high standards of quality and efficiency.