Process Improvement for Manufacturing
Transforming manufacturing processes with Microsoft technology
Many manufacturing businesses are looking at how they become more efficient and consistent. Most have invested heavily in automated machining and ERP/MRP solutions but are finding there are still areas of wasted effort, down time and manual mistakes.
This is where Bridgeall comes in, as a multiple Microsoft Solutions Partner, we help manufacturers leverage the Microsoft technology stack to automate processes, improve decision making and digitise paper processes.
Manufacturing Pain Points We Solve
Process Improvement with Microsoft technology
We help take your existing process/systems and automate these as much as possible. We use a combination of technologies that allows us to provide digital solutions that replicate how your business actually works and reduce errors, manual effort and improve audit trails and compliance.
Power Platform for Manufacturing
Many manufacturers still rely on paper and clipboards for quality checks, inventory counts, and safety audits. These processes also commonly involve email chains, manual spreadsheets and data extracts.
As a Power Platform Partner, we use the Power Platform to replace these manual steps with custom, mobile-friendly applications:
Power Apps
Deploy custom tools for shop-floor data entry that work on any device.
Power Automate
Trigger instant alerts for machinery failures or low stock levels.
Power Pages
Web portals and websites for interacting with external stakeholders like customers and suppliers.
Power BI
Visualise production KPIs and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) in real-time.
Use cases for Power Platform in Manufacturing
Extending & Connecting Manufacturing Systems
Your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system is the heart of your business, but it shouldn’t be an island.
We help you extend the life and utility of these systems by connecting them to modern cloud tools. Whether it’s pulling live data from a legacy database into a dashboard or syncing order info with your logistics team, we ensure data flows seamlessly across the business.
Document Control Systems with SharePoint
In engineering and manufacturing it is critical to maintain the right version of a technical drawing, manual or process document. We build robust SharePoint Document Control Systems that keep your key documents under control with version tracking and approval processes with audit trails.
- Version Control: No more “Final_v2_NEW” file names; just one single source of truth with full audit trail available.
- Automated Approvals: Streamline the sign-off process with automated approval processes and layers of sign off before accepting changes.
- Audit Readiness: Instantly accessible history of who accessed or edited a document, track expiry and retiral dates and ensure you remain compliant.
Supporting Process Improvement for Manufacturing in Scotland
As a Glasgow and Scotland based Microsoft Solutions Partner, we work with manufacturers across the country and different types of manufacturers. We have worked with some of the biggest names in Scotland including; Glenmorangie, Whyte & Mackay, Edrington, Tennent’s and Loch Lomond Group.
As part of our dedication to supporting business growth and development, we are proud members of CeeD Scotland. This allows us to share best practices as well as collaborate with businesses in the manufacturing sector to help improve the bottom line.
Ready to Get Started with Process Improvement in Manufacturing?
Whether you have a process you are looking to automate or are at an early stage of your process improvement journey we are here to help. To start a discussion with one of our Microsoft certified consultants contact us today.
Manufacturing case studies
Heineken – Streamlining Business Processes
Following a strategic decision to re-develop and standardise on Microsoft technologies, Bridgeall was selected from a competitive tender as one of Heineken UK’s SharePoint .NET and core ASP.NET preferred development partners based on our deep .NET experience, SharePoint know-how, agile development approach and rigorous software engineering discipline.
With the aim of delivering immediate improvements in business processes, the first project was to transition an Out of Hours Support Manager application from a variety of disparate departmental solutions, both Lotus Notes applications and spreadsheets, into a single application that streamlined the process for the business. This initial application would lay much of the framework for standardising subsequent applications. To ensure seamless integration, Bridgeall took a wider and longer-term view, developing a set of re-usable components and design elements that could be easily incorporated across the full programme.
Edrington – Tracking The Famous Grouse
Edrington makes some of the world’s best-loved Scotch Whiskies – The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes and The Famous Grouse. The Group had a requirement to improve the way it managed and tracked casks.
Developed on a SharePoint hosted app built using the latest version of ASP.NET MVC and SQL Azure, Bridgeall delivered a modern Cask Tracking System now in use across multiple locations in both Spain and Scotland. It allows Edrington to track cask creation, repairs and movements providing a detailed history for every cask, data integrity and a wealth of accessible management information. The project was successfully delivered on-time and under budget.