Boyce Precision Engineering grows 20% with new MRP solution
Northern Ireland’s Boyce Precision Engineering (BPE) has significantly enhanced its operational efficiency following the adoption of the Forterro MRP solution, 123Insight. This strategic move has propelled BPE to achieve a 20% year-on-year growth rate and a 25% reduction in stock levels.
Based in County Armagh, BPE provides precision engineering services to clients in various high-stakes sectors including aerospace, defence, pharmaceutical, and automotive. The firm had been experiencing rapid growth but recognised that its existing manual and paper-based systems were becoming a bottleneck. Brian Perry, Operations Director at BPE, stated, “It simply wasn’t sustainable to grow using the systems we had in place. We already employed two full-time admin staff and needed a third. I had seen the 123Insight MRP solution a customer of ours was using and it felt like the perfect fit for our requirements.”
After a comprehensive review of available MRP solutions, BPE chose 123Insight and collaborated with reseller QMS Insight to develop an implementation strategy. BPE meticulously mapped out its processes and workflows to ensure the data was ready for the MRP system. Remarkably, the company went live with 123Insight just two months after making the decision to switch. The transition from legacy systems to this new digital approach was both swift and effective.
The impact was immediate and far-reaching. The firm experienced significant improvements in visibility and control across all operational areas. The time required for generating purchase orders and works orders dropped dramatically—from each of two staffs spending 39 hours weekly to just two hours in total. Perry highlighted the efficiency gains, noting that the transition eradicated inefficiencies and improved stock management. “With 123Insight, everything became more discreet, and all the inefficiencies disappeared. Better forward visibility also helped our suppliers, as we no longer placed small orders with urgent lead times. Overall, our stock accuracy is now never less than 98%,” he added.
The introduction of 123Insight has also facilitated compliance with stringent quality accreditation standards such as AS9100, crucial for BPE’s operations in the aerospace and medical sectors. 123Insight's batch traceability functionality ensures that audits can be completed promptly and satisfactorily.
Perry emphasised the return on investment brought by the MRP solution, stating, “What I pay in subscription wouldn’t pay an employee on minimum wage and there's a return on investment every day of the week. 123Insight will easily cope with double the business we're doing today without needing more people to drive it.”
Steve Fearon, President of Northern Europe at Forterro, praised BPE’s successful integration of the MRP solution. “For smaller companies, an MRP solution can seem like something you can manage without, but BPE is a wonderful example of how a manufacturer can fully digitise and reap the benefits almost immediately,” he said. Fearon pointed out that BPE’s readiness for future growth is now underpinned by agility, scalability, and high efficiency.
Forterro, which serves over 13,000 industrial companies across Europe, has positioned its 123Insight solution as a critical tool for small and mid-sized enterprises seeking to optimise operations and drive growth. The experience of BPE showcases the transformative potential of adopting advanced digital solutions in industrial settings.
