A Manufacturer Gains Real-Time Inventory Visibility and More with an ERP and Mobile Barcode Solution

Industrial Filter Manufacturing (IFM) manufacturers and distributes liquid filter bags to customers in over 30 countries and across diverse industries. IFM has always had a continuous improvement philosophy and is always looking for more efficient ways of producing liquid filtration products.

Three years ago, when JoLayne Advent, VP of Operations, joined IFM, one of her primary tasks was to migrate the company to an ERP system.

This industrial filter manufacturer migrated from spreadsheet-based inventory tracking to a barcode-enabled ERP solution and experienced significant benefits right away.

ERP and Barcode Scanning Equipment Go Hand-in-Hand

After researching several options, IFM selected Global Shop Solutions ERP software with the focus on shop floor control, employee scheduling, and inventory management needs.

Global Shop Solutions recommended that IFM incorporate barcode labels on its raw materials and finished products and implement barcode scanners and printers in conjunction with the ERP software.

“Global Shop Solutions referred us to EMS Barcode Solutions to assist us with our barcode label and hardware needs,” recalls Advent. 

IFM piloted the barcode labeling solution, which was comprised of three desktop barcode label printers, one mobile barcode label printer, one industrial pistol-grip barcode scanner, and two handheld barcode scanners. At the end of the four-week pilot, they went live with the barcode solutions and, after a short learning curve, saw positive results.

Inventory Management: From Weeklong Process to “That was Easy”

For IFM, barcoding and RP mobile barcode scanning were game changers.

Tracking inventory is no longer a dreaded labor-intensive process and our annual physical inventory is not a weeklong event; cycle counts happen throughout the workday, making it much less disruptive.

JoLayne Advent, VP of Operations at Industrial Filter Manufacturing

To read more about how ERP software and barcode scanning can improve your business, read the full story from EMS Barcode.