HarbisonWalker International boosts forecasting, fulfillment
Leading refractory company gains unified digital approach to planning, analysis, and execution using Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, including ERP.
“With the broad range of functionality we have chosen to implement, we see Oracle not as a vendor, but as a partner that engages with us to address every business challenge we face, providing the platform for our future. ”
Business challenges
With 150 years of industry leadership, HWI’s network includes 19 plants, 30 global sourcing centers, and technology facilities on two continents. Following mergers and the opening of a new plant, the company felt constrained by a patchwork of legacy systems, production inefficiencies, manual overrides, and little coordination across manufacturing plants and business units. HWI needed better visibility and automation to respond to a changing industry, and a streamlined data model to synchronize growth efforts.
Why HWI Chose Oracle
With nine different supply chains for various businesses, HWI wanted to move to a system that could holistically support its unique manufacturing and operational needs.
Today, the company has a modern, unified digital approach (Oracle Cloud ERP, SCM, EPM, CPQ, Warehouse Management Cloud, HCM, CX and Oracle Analytics Cloud) for planning, analysis, and execution that enables market differentiation and growth.
Results
HWI has improved forecast accuracy, enabling real-time order promising, improved fulfillment, and on-time delivery rates of more than 90%. The company is able to respond to changing market conditions, and better plan manufacturing to reduce changeovers, overtime, and systemwide inventory levels.
HarbisonWalker introduced more automation and gained insight into project and plant profitability driven by actual usage. With enhanced visibility, and an elimination of data silos, HWI has reduced costs, improved process efficiency, customer responsiveness, and governance.
Partners
Inspirage and Grant Thornton helped HWI implement integrated order fulfillment and demand planning companywide.