We decided to bring the Time & Attendance module online first so that HR, supervisors, and employees could get used to the system. Following this, we tested how some of our most complex processes would work, learning each new module with our project manager at Plex. We figured if the application worked seamlessly to deliver products that require up to six steps everything else would be a breeze, Scatena said.

This testing phase actually gave us some unexpected benefits. It allowed us to tear up our old processes, get rid of old habits, and start over, added Scatena. As we built up the layers of complexity by testing Plex across the business, from receipt of goods to shipping and invoicing, we often uncovered opportunities to enhance the way we work.

As powerful as any system appears to be, it can only deliver value if users work with it. FloraCraft’s IT Director, Wally Cain was concerned about the low level of IT skills amongst the plant floor workforce and whether this would in fact be a roadblock to the Plex installation. But that proved not to be an issue. Most of our processes were paper based but we put intensive training in place and within a matter of weeks, all of our shop floor personnel were using Plex very well, said Cain.

Now the Plex Manufacturing Cloud enforces scanning and verification of UPC codes within the manufacturing process. Before Plex shop floor staff relied on manual verification, which was subject to mistakes given that FloraCraft holds 3,500 SKUs. With Plex, verification is at 100 percent.

The company has also seen a 60 percent increase in revenue with zero percent increase in labor hours.

This efficiency has resulted in an increase in FloraCraft SKUs placed with Walmart by an incredible 60 percent. “With Walmart we have a six-day lead-time. They send their orders in on a Tuesday and we ship them back on Friday through to Monday, so it’s vital that we have the right inventory on hand,” said Scatena.

‘Fill Rate’ is another measure Walmart uses, which FloraCraft meets using the serialized inventory capabilities in the Plex Manufacturing Cloud. The company has 160 SKUs with Walmart, in high volumes, and now has the ability to track all of its inventory, which helps to ensure Walmart gets the right product at the right store. Plex has helped FloraCraft to increase fill rates from an excellent 99.35 percent to an even better 99.7 percent.

Gaining Visibility and Insight Into the Numbers That Matter

Financial reporting is crucial for FloraCraft’s low-margin, high-volume business model. In the past, the company would generate financial statements, but accuracy was questionable.

Before Plex, our costs were best guesses and we’d factor that with as much actual data as we could manually collect. With Plex, we have more accurate costing data, which allows us to do something extraordinary—pin costs down to one tenth of a cent," said Scatena.

Profitable product development is also far easier now due to the real-time data FloraCraft can derive from Plex, and this is helping the leadership team to make better and faster decisions about which products to invest in for the future. Plex’s business intelligence tool allows managers to gain insights across all departments and even operational staff are benefitting. "By creating production dashboards that associates can see with data such as rates per hour, fill rates, and shipping metrics, all in real time is something we could only dream of before, and it’s something that is really motivating our staff," Scatena said.

For the future, FloraCraft plans to roll out additional Plex capabilities within its Mexico facilities.