One of the UK’s leading suppliers of advanced materials and metals has accelerated its digital transformation journey after implementing a new world class ERP system.
Goodfellow has completed the integration of Microsoft Dynamics 365 into its business, which supplies a 170,000-strong product range to clients in more than 30 different countries across the globe.
Together with the company’s advanced e-commerce website and enhancements to its CRM system, the new ERP will provide long-term operational efficiencies and allow it to launch new materials quicker, as well as strengthening its already exceptional level of customer service.
Importantly, it will also give the firm the capability to scale as it looks to embark on a proactive acquisition trail, a trail that accelerated with the purchase of US-based Potomac Photonics, Suisse TP in Switzerland and, closer to home, The Bureau of Analysed Samples (BAS) during the last twelve months.
Simon Kenney, CEO of Goodfellow, commented: “This is the biggest transformation project we’ve completed as a business this century – that’s the scale of what the team has successfully achieved.
(l-r) Simon Kenney and Richard Wilson (both Goodfellow)
“We now have an ERP system that gives us real-time access to every facet of our operation. Cash used to be king, but that is quickly changing to data as it allows us to make informed decisions on purchasing, post-processing manufacturing and sales – all with the aim of supporting our customer base in the best possible way we can.”
He continued: “There’s not many businesses like ours that supply up to 170,000 different products so to migrate these to Microsoft Dynamics has been a huge task, but one the IT and sales team have done superbly. What it will help us to do is introduce new ranges quicker and we’re currently in the process of announcing two new lines in the coming months.”
Goodfellow, which received an investment from Battery Ventures in 2021, supplies a comprehensive range of metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, compounds, and composites.
The company has built a strong reputation as a trusted supplier to firms involved in R&D, advanced engineering, space and the scientific sector, with subsidiaries across Europe, North America and China helping it extend its global reach.
From its HQ in Cambridge, the material specialist also provides a range of post processing facilities, including rolling, electroplating, sputtering, heat treatment, disk punching/turning and guillotining/sawing.
The acquisitions of Suisse TP and The Bureau of Analysed Samples also gives it access to state-of-the-art laboratories, testing facilities and an unrivalled Certified Reference Materials (CRM) capability.
Richard Wilson, Chief Technology Officer, picked up the story: “We are at an exciting stage of development, with organic growth and acquisitions all in the pipeline.
“To get to where we want to be we need to have a technology platform that can help us scale globally and, in Microsoft Dynamics 365, Adobe Commerce and Salesforce, we now have that in place.”
He concluded: “I’m proud of the team’s achievements in implementing these new technologies and we are all looking forward to leveraging future benefits from these best-in-class systems.
“Whether it be through AI supporting product recommendations or data insights to aid stock management, Goodfellow is set-up perfectly for a digital future.”
