Case Studies
Spur Shelving
Spur Shelving both manufactures and distributes other suppliers' products under such well known brand names as Spur, Cliffhanger, Designer, Cliplok, Edgeslot and Strongbeam.
Spur Shelving have maintained their strong base of distribution within the independent retail trade, but over the last 10 years, have also become major suppliers to ‘multiple DIY retailers'. The demands of these DIY chains, with Just-in-Time ordering, promotional specific products and an increased reliance on electronic trading, have changed the market. Spur now has a larger product range than ever before, complicated by the retailers specific pack requirements, and is expected to deliver all orders complete in one drop.
CCL had previously been involved with Spur Shelving when implementing the Epicor Avante softwate. The Newell Group had adopted MOVEX as its standard ERP system. It was Newell Rubbermaid's intention to implement MOVEX across Europe based on the processes and data structures defined by Window Fashions (the amalgamation of Harrison Drape and Swish). Spur has been involved in an intense implementation of MOVEX managed by Intentia staff. However, local management had doubts regarding the integrity of the process which has been undertaken and was concerned about the likely outcome should the system, as it has been configures, be used in a live environment.
CCL was invited to attend the Intentia ‘audit' of the status of the implementation. As a result of this, and a report produced jointly by the Intentia audit team and CCL it was agreed to rewind the process and revisit the decisions that had been made regarding the detailed configuration.
As a result, CCL suggested some changes to the Spur team and assisted in re-planning the implementation. The essential problem was maintaining a set of configuration rules that did not interfere with the overall shared plan European database but still met the specific needs of Spur. CCL had previously been involved with Harrison Drape when implementing MOVEX and it was the detailed knowledge of the MOVEX software gained here and at F W Thorpe that enabled us to steer a fine line between disrupting the Newell plan of a standard configuration and still provide a Spur specific system.
Spur had an issue that the new system was going to cost more annually with no perceived benefit to them. Releasing the power of MOVEX in the warehousing area, something not previously considered, provided a cost justification for the change.
Another issue related to the manufacturing and costing methods used at Spur. CCL encouraged the release of software functionality not previously considered to address this issue.
The CCL involvement continued at a planning and advisory level, with appropriate hands on testing and data validation to a successful conclusion for all parties involved.
