A Platform for Change Found in the Cloud

Caltherm is one of the world’s leading suppliers of thermostats for diesel and automotive applications. For years, the company used an on-premise ERP system to manage its operations, but the system created awkward processes, hindered workflows and hampered the productivity of plant floor operations.

The absence of data collection in Caltherm’s automated processes meant data collection was inconsistent, leading to inaccuracies in inventory recording, barcode printing and shipping and quality management. And because Caltherm’s inventory and shipping processes were separate, inaccurate documentation was often sent with the right parts. In short, the ERP system was getting in the way of profitable growth.

“Lots of our people found it difficult to do their jobs as effectively as they’d have liked and we were losing money due to problems we were having with shipping and labeling,” says Matt Shamblin, Technical Services Manager at Caltherm.

The team first tried re-implementing their on-premise ERP solution. Not only was the process cost prohibitive, but the promised functionality simply didn’t work. For Caltherm to continue achieving its growth objectives through innovation, quality products, and operational efficiency, they wanted a system that could adapt to their organizational requirements and connect to their shop-floor operations to ensure inventory accuracy and quality management.

Caltherm looked to other ERP systems – on-premise and cloud-based – for help.

“We needed a single system where all the manufacturing processes that we required were integrated,” adds Shamblin.

Caltherm found what they needed with cloud-based ERP from Plex. Since launch, Caltherm has improved inventory and shipping management by moving both functions into one integrated system. This mistake-proofing process ensures maximum labeling and shipping accuracy without increasing monthly operating costs.

“Everyone at Caltherm is excited about the difference the Plex Manufacturing Cloud is making to our business,” says Shamblin. “We already had the infrastructure and clever minds to define our ambition to be a leading innovator in thermo-engineering solutions. Now we have a cloud ERP to make that vision a quality-driven reality.”