Michigan Ladder Company: Leveraging ERP for Future Success
Company Size
11-200
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Exact Macola Progression
Tech Stack
- ERP system
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
Applicable Industries
- Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Training
About The Customer
Michigan Ladder Company is a family-owned business based in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The company has been in operation for over 100 years and has a lean 20-person organization. It is one of the top ladder brands in the U.S., with customers like the New York Fire Department and the U.S. Army. The company's products include aluminum, wood, and fiberglass ladders. Despite the recession, the company is preparing for the future by making more advanced use of its ERP system, Exact Software’s Macola Progression®. The company is focusing on inventing the future and preparing for when the economy rebounds.
The Challenge
Michigan Ladder Company, a family-owned business in Ypsilanti, Michigan, has been experiencing steady growth for decades. However, despite the recession, the company is preparing for the future by making more advanced use of Exact Software’s Macola Progression®, their ERP system. The company implemented Macola ten years ago but has never used it to its full capacity. In early 2009, it became apparent that employees needed more system training for greater ERP proficiency. The challenge was how to afford comprehensive training for their 20-person workforce. Hiring an on-site consultant or traveling to attend class was too costly. Past training from their reseller had proved ineffectual. The company needed a way to provide high-level training at a low cost.
The Solution
The solution came in the form of Exact’s Unlimited Training Plan. The first year, more than 90% of Michigan Ladder employees took 4–6 classes, each without incurring major expense. The cost savings on Exact’s unlimited training was profound and instrumental in allowing more people to use Macola to do their jobs more efficiently. After one year, Michigan Ladder signed up for a second year. Interactive, lab-based training and working with their own information accelerated the learning process. So far, one employee or another has enrolled in every Macola training class, some for a second time. The company has never had to travel or bring an instructor on site.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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