Client Overview
A prominent switch manufacturing company based in Gujarat, India, our client operates across three production facilities, employing over 350 skilled workers. The company specializes in precision-engineered electrical switch components that power homes, offices, and industries worldwide.
In the highly competitive manufacturing industry, the client’s reputation is built on timely deliveries, zero-defect assemblies, and uncompromised quality. To sustain growth and maintain market leadership, they needed to modernize their manufacturing backbone with an Odoo Manufacturing software solution that could provide real-time visibility, production agility, and batch-level traceability.
The Challenge
The client’s existing system was a tangled mix of manual spreadsheets, paper-based stock registers, and isolated desktop tools. This fragmented approach caused:
- Chronic stockouts of fast-moving switch components like actuator pins and modular casings
- Frequent production halts due to inaccurate Bill of Materials (BoM) management
- Overstocking of low-demand SKUs, leading to warehouse congestion
- Quality control lapses, with rejections often traced back to missing batch data
- Limited shop floor tracking, resulting in missed delivery commitments
The operational chaos directly impacted customer trust, profitability, and working capital efficiency.
Objectives & Expectations
Determined to turn things around, the client set clear goals:
- Increase production efficiency by 30% to meet rising demand
- Achieve 95% stock accuracy to eliminate firefighting during procurement
- Enable real-time tracking of materials and work orders across the plant
- Implement end-to-end batch traceability to support stringent quality norms
- Improve inventory turnover and reduce working capital blockage
The leadership team expected seamless user adoption, automation of repetitive tasks, and live dashboards for faster decision-making.
Scope of Work
The implementation of Odoo manufacturing ERP software covered:
- Production Management: Master Production Scheduling (MPS), BoM, and Work Orders
- Inventory Management: Multi-location warehouse control, barcode scanning, and stock aging reports
- Procurement Automation: Dynamic reordering based on production demand
- Quality Management: Real-time inspections, rejection workflows, and batch traceability
- Sales & Dispatch Management: Order tracking, dispatch prioritization, and lead time management
The project was complex, involving multi-site production lines, modular product variants, and synchronized procurement cycles.
Solution Implementation
We deployed a customized Odoo ERP manufacturing solution featuring:
- Dynamic BoM Setup for multi-level, modular switch assemblies
- Work Center Routing Configuration to capture machine efficiency and production flow
- Barcode Integration enabling live stock movements and real-time inventory updates
- Automated Procurement Rules aligned with predictive material requirements
- Quality Checkpoints embedded at each production stage for inline inspection
- Live Production Dashboards tracking Work-In-Progress (WIP), machine downtime, and shift-wise productivity
The Odoo manufacturing software was seamlessly integrated with the client’s CRM and finance modules, enabling a unified production-to-dispatch pipeline.
Execution Challenges
The implementation wasn’t without hurdles:
- User resistance: Shop floor operators were reluctant to shift from manual job cards to digital work orders.
- Data migration pains: Mapping over 10,000 part codes with their respective stock levels and histories required meticulous cleaning and validation.
- Customization complexities: The client’s diverse switch models and fluctuating batch sizes required highly flexible procurement and production workflows.
We resolved these by:
- Conducting hands-on operator training sessions and simulation workshops to build confidence.
- Running phased data migration cycles to ensure accuracy without disrupting live operations.
- Using agile customization sprints to fine-tune procurement triggers and work order sequences.
Results & Business Impact
The impact was transformational and quantifiable:
- 30% boost in production efficiency, driven by live tracking and accurate material availability
- 95% reduction in stockouts, eliminating last-minute procurement fires
- 20% decrease in machine downtime, enabled by proactive routing and real-time OEE monitoring
- 99% batch traceability, enhancing quality control and defect root-cause identification
- 35% improvement in on-time deliveries, leading to stronger customer satisfaction
- 22% working capital optimization, thanks to faster inventory turnover and leaner stock levels
The client now operates with confidence, agility, and precision, giving them a significant edge in the competitive switch manufacturing space.
Client Feedback / Testimonial
“Odoo ERP for manufacturing has completely revolutionized our shop floor. We now have complete visibility on what’s moving, what’s pending, and where the bottlenecks are. The barcode integration has made stock tracking effortless, and our production planning has gone from reactive to proactive. We no longer fight fires — we build confidently.” — Operations Head, Leading Switch Manufacturer
Key Innovations / Differentiators
- Dynamic Multi-Variant BoMs: Allowed quick shifts between modular switch configurations without creating production delays.
- Real-Time Barcode Tracking: Provided instant updates on stock movement and batch progress.
- Embedded Quality Gates: Automatically triggered inspections at each assembly level to prevent defective outputs.
- Vendor Lead Time Automation: Smart procurement planning that adapted to actual supplier delivery patterns, reducing overstocking and urgent purchases.
- Live OEE Dashboards: Enabled shift-wise visibility into machine uptime, operator efficiency, and production health.
This success story demonstrates how Odoo ERP manufacturing software can drive significant operational improvements, inventory precision, and production agility in the manufacturing industry.
With Odoo ERP firmly embedded in their operations, the client now plans to:
- Expand into after-sales service management using Odoo’s service modules
- Deploy IoT-based machine health tracking for predictive maintenance
- Introduce mobile-based reporting tools to give supervisors shop floor access on the go
Their journey with ERP software for manufacturing industry continues to evolve as they aim for even greater manufacturing excellence.
If you are looking to achieve major operational enhancements, improve inventory accuracy, and increase production flexibility in the manufacturing sector just drop us a line at sales@apagen.com or call us at — +91 9971800665.
