With the construction industry’s increasing focus on reducing both carbon footprints and build times, UK offsite timber frame manufacturer Stewart Milne Timber Systems decided to replace its legacy business system, which could no longer support its project-based business, with an industry-specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution from IFS.
To build greener, faster, and more cost effectively, the global construction industry is increasingly turning to offsite and modular construction methods. In England alone, it is estimated that 345,000 new homes are needed annually to keep up with demand. This is driving the need for innovative building systems brought to the market by manufacturers like Stewart Milne Timber Systems.
The company was running a legacy business software solution that could not fully support its long-term operational ambitions. Still highly reliant on paper-based, manual business processes and a multitude of data standards, Stewart Milne Timber Systems consulted several different sources to aid its decision-making.
With a goal to automate a considerable number of business processes and consolidate all data into a single source, Stewart Milne Timber Systems identified that a key ask for them would be a solution that offered a combination of robust industry-specific capabilities, such as project management, manufacturing, and a fully integrated finance and human capital management (HCM) solution, to support its growth. Following a competitive evaluation process, the company chose IFS over solutions from other providers.
Craig Thornhill, Finance Director at Stewart Milne Timber Systems, said, "We chose IFS because of the team’s and the product’s deep industry expertise and capabilities. IFS Cloud ERP will help us increase efficiency, stay on quality and reduce the lead-time, downtime and processing time associated with the manufacturing and installation of offsite systems. IFS is a central pillar in our digital transformation journey, which will help us work smarter, quicker, and greener."
Alan Laing, Managing Director, IFS UK and Ireland, added, “We are excited to be partnering with Stewart Milne Timber Systems providing them with our leading industry capabilities. These have been tested and fine-tuned through close customer collaboration with some of the most renowned names in the global construction and manufacturing sectors. With IFS’s open architecture, Stewart Milne Timber Systems will be able to expand their footprint to include new automation and robotic technology. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.”
