Hartmann’s Inc. Case Study

For over six decades, Hartmann’s Inc. has remained as a family-owned enterprise, driven by our unwavering dedication to surpassing customer expectations. Hartmann’s Inc. has solidified its reputation as one of the world’s premier machine shops, where the fusion of tradition and technology continues to thrive. The company’s journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of innovation, echoes in their tagline, “Quality and precision forged by innovation,” which is not just a motto but a promise to their clientele and a guiding star for the future.

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About HARTMANN'S INC.

A Texas-based manufacturing company specializing in aerospace and medical machining, with a diverse portfolio across various sectors, faced significant challenges with their previous ERP system. This led them on an important journey to find a better way of managing their business. The result, as you may have already guessed, was a partnership with ProShop ERP to help streamline their operations (among many other benefits). Now that they’ve been using ProShop for about three years, we caught up with Alan and Michael from Hartmann’s Inc. to talk about their journey and see how it’s been going.

With 58 employees across two facilities in Texas and North Florida, the company has been AS9100 certified for over seven years. The move to ProShop ERP three years ago marked a pivotal transition towards a paperless and more efficient operation.

CONSIDERATIONS OF ADOPTING A NEW ERP

Before adopting ProShop, Hartmann’s Inc. used E2 as their ERP system. Due to the limitations of their old system, which included significant challenges with receivables from customers, they made the inevitable decision to switch ERPs. The search for a reasonably priced and purpose-built solution was a difficult one, but in early 2021, they connected with the ProShop team at the Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS). After some conversation and demos of the ProShop platform, they eventually decided to transition away from E2 and over to ProShop ERP.

Michael Hartmann, Hartmann’s Quality Systems Manager, highlighted the inefficiencies of their previous paper-based system, stating: “I don’t think people truly realize how long it takes to have a person work with paper on the shop floor.”

Here is a summary of the main challenges the Hartmann’s team were up against:

Inefficient Receivables Management: The company’s previous system struggled with managing receivables from customers, causing a strain on the business.
Previous System Limitations: Their old ERP was not meeting the company’s growing needs, this caused operational inefficiency, frustration, and long calls on the old ERP’s support line. Finding an effective and affordable alternative felt challenging.
Resistance to Change: Employees were accustomed to the old system, leading to some resistance in switching to a new ERP.
Data Migration Concerns: Transferring 2500 part numbers from the old system to a new system seemed daunting.

“There were a lot of steps to move out of paper, but in the end, it was so worth it.” – Michael Hartmann

THE PAPERLESS REVOLUTION

The transition to ProShop was motivated by the desire for a paperless system that could provide better shop-floor visibility and seamlessly adapt to the stringent quality requirements of the aerospace and medical industries. ProShop’s integration of employee training management features and its simplified auditing process made a substantial impact.

Alan Hartmann noted, “Our auditors knew ahead of time that it wasn’t going to take days to complete an audit because we had ProShop.”

Factors that steered Hartmann’s towards ProShop ERP:

Industry-Experience: ProShop’s founders’ background as machine shop owners added credibility of the industries needs, giving Hartmann’s confidence to make the switch.
Simplified Compliance: ProShop’s paperless Quality Management System made compliance with AS9100 standards more manageable.
Functionality and Support: ProShop was able to provide capabilities that were missing from their previous system. This included training management and an easily-auditable QMS.
Experienced Implementation Support: ProShop’s implementation team understands the shop floor because that’s where they came from.

“I can’t tell you how many hours I sat on the phone with E2 support. The amount of emails I sent was ridiculous!” – Michael Hartmann

LIFE SINCE PROSHOP IMPLEMENTATION

Since implementing ProShop, Hartmann’s Inc. has experienced increased throughput and reduced setup time. The efficiency gained from having programs staged and ready on the work order eliminates the need to search for the right program. All of the correct part-information is now instantly accessible, leading to faster set-ups and increased productivity on the shop floor.

“Our guys are getting faster on the data input. Guys that weren’t previously doing these tasks are now doing it every day!” – Michael Hartmann

The visibility provided by ProShop allows employees to identify and solve problems quickly, preventing the company from spreading itself too thin. Once the initial hurdles were overcome, the integrations ran smoothly, and ProShop quickly became an essential daily tool.

Increased Productivity: The company experienced increased throughput, shorter setup times, increased shop-floor visibility, and reduced scrap rates.
Better Access to Manufacturing Information: CNC programs, set-up information like work-holding, and other critical job data has become instantly accessible, eliminating the need to seek the information out from various sources like paper and by asking co-workers.
Empowered Employees: With clear visibility on job performance, employees can quickly identify and address issues, leading to a more efficient workflow and a more refined production process.
Continuous Learning: The full potential of ProShop is being realized after comprehensive training, emphasizing the importance of ongoing learning to receive the maximum ROI from ProShop.

ADVICE FOR OTHER SHOPS

Michael Hartmann emphasized the importance of buy-in from the entire team when adopting a new ERP system. He advises other shops to be willing to invest in paperless systems that can easily integrate with shop floor operations.

“Once you get into a paperless system, everything works together.” Hartmann noted, adding that it’s best to go paperless from the beginning.

WHERE THEY'RE HEADED

Hartmann’s Inc. aims to leverage ProShop to its fullest potential for continued growth in the Medical and Aerospace sectors.

“People are always impressed when they come to our facility. They ask where the drawings are? But then they see that it’s a true paperless system and are really impressed.” Alan Hartmann shared.

The paperless system has left a positive impression on visiting customers, showcasing the company’s modern approach to manufacturing.

FAVORITE PROSHOP FEATURES

When asked about some of their favorite ProShop features, Michael immediately noted the benefits of a truly integrated and paperless system. Their top three benefits include:

Company-Wide Visibility: Real-time updates on project statuses, impressing customers with prompt and accurate time.
Seamless Integration: Facilitates easy integration with other software systems, contributing to a more streamlined operation.
Simplified Certification: The paperless and deeply integrated approach to ProShop’s QMS within the ERP has simplified their regulatory compliance and AS9100 recertification process.

THE RESULTS

Hartmann’s Inc.’s transition to ProShop has increased their throughput and streamlined their operations. This has enhanced and simplified their operational efficiency, shop-floor visibility, and regulatory compliance. No more long searches for missing information, or hours spent on their previous ERP’s support line.

Increased productivity and throughput, decreased setup times
Improved workflows and refined production processes
Easier audits and regulatory compliance with the help of ProShop’s QMS system
Real-time updates and improved customer communication

Their experience and journey in switching ERP’s underscores the value of a fully integrated and paperless system designed specifically for manufacturers.