Client Overview
Industry: Low Tension (LT) Distribution Panel Manufacturing
Location: Delhi NCR, India
Business Size: Mid-sized manufacturer catering to industrial, commercial, and utility sectors
Products: LT Distribution Panels, Switchgears, Control Panels, and Custom Electrical Panels
The client manufactures a wide range of LT distribution panels with multiple configurations and customized designs. Their operations included manual tracking of production, fragmented workflows across design, assembly, quality, and dispatch, and lacked real-time operational visibility.
Project Overview
Objective:
Implement a comprehensive ERP solution to digitize and streamline end-to-end operations from design and BOM management to production, testing, dispatch, and tender management.
Duration: 7 months
Scope: Full-scale Odoo ERP deployment including MRP, Inventory, BOM, Tender Management, Production, Sales, CRM, Procurement, QC, and Reporting.
Challenges & Objectives
Key Challenges:
- Manual tracking of raw materials (circuit breakers, bus bars, relays, enclosures) causing delays and stock discrepancies
- Multiple product variants with complex BOMs leading to errors and production bottlenecks
- Limited visibility into production progress, machine utilization, and assembly workflow
- Inefficient tender management and tracking for new projects
- Difficulty in integrating quality checks, compliance testing, and certifications into production workflow
- Lack of real-time dashboards for management decision-making
Objectives:
- Automate and streamline the entire production lifecycle from design to dispatch
- Enable real-time inventory and production tracking
- Reduce wastage, improve operational efficiency, and optimize resources
- Integrate tender and project tracking for seamless bid and delivery management
- Provide actionable insights through dashboards and reporting
Scope of Work
End-to-end Odoo ERP for manufacturing Implementation:
- Tender Management: Creation, approval, submission tracking, post-award follow-ups
- Design & BOMs: Manage engineering revisions, define BOMs for panels, switchgears, and control units with detailed technical specs, enclosure dimensions, electrical ratings, and wiring diagrams
- Material Planning & Procurement: Track copper bus bars, circuit breakers, relays, wires, and enclosures; automate procurement to prevent shortages and overstock
- Panel Assembly & Wiring: Schedule assembly operations, track team and machine efficiency, monitor wiring accuracy and compliance
- Quality Control & Testing: Integration of insulation tests, functional tests, earth leakage tests, and safety certifications at various stages
- Dispatch & After-Sales: Serial/batch tracking, automated invoicing, logistics, warranty, and service management
- Sales & CRM: Customer order management, quotations, and pipeline tracking
- Reporting & Analytics: Real-time dashboards for production, QC metrics, inventory, tender status, and management insights
Additional customization was done for panel-specific configurations, tender workflows, and quality compliance tracking. Training was provided across operations, production, QC, sales, procurement, and management teams.
Solution Design & Implementation
Solution Design:
- End-to-End Workflow Integration: Connected design, production, inventory, procurement, sales, tender, and dispatch for seamless operations
- Tender Module: Centralized tracking of project bids, deadlines, approvals, and post-award updates
- BOM Management: Managed multi-variant panels with electrical specifications, wiring diagrams, and enclosure details
- Material & Resource Optimization: Automated procurement based on real-time consumption and inventory levels
- Production Planning & QC: Scheduled assembly and wiring workflows with integrated quality checkpoints for insulation, functionality, and safety
- Traceability & Compliance: Batch and serial tracking of panel assemblies, logging of test results, and documentation for regulatory compliance
- Dashboards & Automation: Real-time reporting for production efficiency, machine utilization, inventory status, and tender progress
Implementation Phases:
Phase 1: Assessment & Planning
- Workshops to map workflows and identify bottlenecks in production, QC, inventory, and tender processes
- Mapped existing manual processes to Odoo modules for seamless automation
Phase 2: System Setup & Configuration
- Configured MRP, Inventory, BOM, Tender, and QC modules for LT panel manufacturing
- Set up Material Planning for key components and automated procurement
- Implemented Panel Assembly, Wiring, Insulation & Functional Testing workflows with QC checkpoints
Phase 3: Integration & Automation
- Integrated Sales, CRM, Procurement, and Tender Management with production planning
- Automated end-to-end workflow from order to production, QC, dispatch, and invoicing
- Implemented dashboards for real-time monitoring of production, QC metrics, inventory, and tender status
Phase 4: Training & Go-Live
- Role-based training for production, QC, procurement, tender, and management teams
- Smooth transition ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations
Execution Challenges
- Aligning tender deadlines with production schedules and material availability
- Managing multiple panel variants and customization requests without affecting delivery timelines
- Integrating QC and safety compliance tests into automated production workflows
- Ensuring adoption of the new system by production and QC teams while maintaining operational output
Results & Impact
- 35% reduction in production delays through streamlined workflows and real-time monitoring
- 30% improvement in inventory accuracy, eliminating stock-outs and overstocking
- Enhanced tender management, reducing missed deadlines and approval bottlenecks
- Improved production quality through integrated QC checkpoints and documentation
- Real-time visibility for management enabling faster and better-informed decisions
- Scalable operations for handling multiple product variants and large orders
Client Feedback & Innovations
Client Feedback: Appreciated automation of tender and production workflows, dashboards, and real-time QC visibility
Innovations Introduced: Tender module integration, predictive material planning, automated QC alerts, and dashboards for proactive decision-making
Key Learnings & Project Team
Key Learnings:
- Early mapping of workflows reduces friction during ERP implementation
- Integration of tender management within ERP streamlines project tracking and compliance
- Role-based training is critical for smooth adoption and minimal operational disruption
- Automated QC tracking ensures consistent quality and regulatory compliance
Project Team(Apagen):
- ERP Consultants: 3
- Technical Implementation Lead: 1
- Production & Tender Specialist: 2
- QC & Compliance Specialist: 2
- Support & Training: 2
This case study positions Apagen as a trusted partner for LT distribution panel manufacturers seeking end-to-end operational transformation using Odoo ERP.
To know more, reach us by droping us a line at sales@apagen.com or call us +91 9971800665.
