ERP implementation is often associated with consultants, long projects, and large upfront costs. Our customer case studies paint a different picture for small manufacturers.
84% of implementations done without external help
We analysed 70 MRPeasy customer case studies to see how manufacturers implemented ERP, how long it took, and what changed afterwards. In 59 of the 70 cases, or 84%, no outside consultant was involved in the implementation.
Among the 46 manufacturers that reported clear implementation timelines, the median implementation took 2 months. For companies with 10 or fewer employees, the median was just 1 month.
The results suggest that many small manufacturers can implement ERP systems themselves, even with thousands of parts, complex BOMs, traceability requirements, or multiple production processes.
Self-implementation can work in complex manufacturing
Automotive manufacturer Trig Point employs around 20 people and manages more than 6,000 part numbers across two factories.
The company implemented MRPeasy internally in around three months. Existing data was imported while BOMs were built from scratch.
“We started with the base package and upgraded as we went along,” says Production Engineer Chris Wasylkiw.
Today, Trig Point uses the system for inventory, BOMs, manufacturing orders, shop-floor reporting, product configuration, and API integrations.
“We’ve got over 6,000 part numbers in our system now. We wouldn’t be able to manage that without a system like this.”
One person can lead the project
Forge Fire & Co., a manufacturer of modular live-fire training structures, implemented its new ERP in around two months.
Director of Operations Rob Wynn handled the project himself.
“It was just me, one person, trying to get the data in place to support a multi-million-dollar operation.”
The benefits went well beyond having a new system. Forge Fire gained better control over costing, margins, production schedules, and delivery estimates.
“I can quickly see how jobs actually performed against our planned costs and times, which helps us make sure our costing is accurate and margins are where they need to be.”
A slower rollout can still produce excellent results
Light Composites, a 55-person carbon composite manufacturer serving aerospace and medical customers, took nearly six months to self-implement through a gradual rollout.
Before implementation, inventory inaccuracies regularly caused material shortages.
Afterwards, a physical inventory check showed stock accuracy of 97–98%, and shortages were nearly eliminated.
CEO Ryan Hosmer says: “Eliminating stockouts has been a godsend. Because if you can have the order but you can’t ship it, you’re not going to make the money.”
Small companies can see major benefits
Poweronics, a power electronics manufacturer, manages around 1,200 components. Managing Director Colin Hart configured the system himself.
The main result was much stronger inventory control.
“We’ve never had a shortage after adopting MRPeasy. All the components that the software says are in the warehouse – are in the warehouse.”
When does a consultant make sense?
Although 84% of the case studies do not mention consultant involvement, outside help can still be valuable.
A consultant makes particular sense when there is no internal project owner, existing data needs extensive cleanup, processes need redesigning, or a complex legacy system must be replaced.
Consulting does not have to mean outsourcing the entire implementation either. A manufacturer can implement most of the system internally and use outside expertise for specific problems.
