Success Story

Kauffman Engineering

The Bottom Line
Summary As companies expand and acquire new business, it’s crucial that they work to create a cohesive company culture among all branches by installing uniform business processes to ensure a seamless transition. Partnering with an IT solutions provider that not only unifies locations but also enables companies to grow and expand the use of their software platform without added costs is crucial for a financially sound acquisition process. Kauffman Engineering, a leader in electrical supply manufacturing, has rapidly expanded its business through multiple acquisitions. In doing so, the company quickly found itself in need of a new business tool that would enable it to unify its manufacturing and inventory processes without being penalized for adding seats to the platform. For Kauffman, the solution presented itself with the purchase of one of its new companies already running VAI’s ERP software platform.

Customer Profile
Kauffman Engineering, Inc. is a privately held supplier of electrical wire harnesses, lead wires, jumper wires, twisted pair wires, cable assemblies, molded plugs, thermoform plastics, and populated circuit boards.

Since it’s inception in 1973, Kauffman has grown from a single site wiring harness operation into a multi-location company with a highly respected role as a worldwide resource and supplier. This growth can be attributed to the company’s core business philosophy and implementation of quality assurance, product development, excellent delivery performance, utilization of teamwork principles, strategic acquisitions, effective marketing execution, and unparalleled customer service.

Headquartered in Lebanon, IN, with manufacturing operations throughout the U.S. and Mexico, Kauffman serves a diverse group of industries including: lawn and garden, transportation, material handling, industrial controls, medical equipment, off-highway vehicles, HVAC, agriculture, marine, aerospace, and many others.

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Challenge
With three newly acquired companies, Kauffman Engineering was up against the clock to implement an ERP solution that would not only unify processes across all locations but also keep the company up to date with the latest supply chain technologies, allowing Kauffman to cost effectively add employees onto the platform well into the foreseeable future. Many mergers are stymied by the need to add hundreds of additional user licenses, which can immediately erode chances for ROI; Kauffman’s growth potential hinges on the ability to avoid that unnecessary added cost.

Finding the Right Partner
The answer to Kauffman’s challenge nearly fell into its lap: one of the companies that Kauffman acquired was already efficiently operating with VAI’s software. The Kauffman team immediately recognized both the performance benefits of the solution and, just as importantly, the option for unlimited user licenses, which would enable them to expand their team across a single, powerful platform without additional IT spend.

Objectives
With three newly acquired companies, Kauffman Engineering sought to implement an ERP solution that would not only unify processes across all locations, but also keep the company up to date with the latest supply chain technologies, allowing Kauffman to cost effectively add employees onto the platform well into the foreseeable future.

Process
Since the series of successful acquisitions, Kauffman has continued to onboard its employees to VAI’s platform, and its representatives “see no end in sight.” As the company continues to grow its business, the Kauffman team can rest easy knowing that VAI’s unlimited user license will grow with them, allowing them to continuously add new users to the platform with no additional fees.

Using the Solution to Solve the Problem
“VAI’s unlimited user license has played an intricate role in the success of our recent acquisitions,” said Scott Hite, CFO at Kauffman Engineering Inc. ”The unlimited user license has enabled us to onboard as many employees as needed to ensure a successful transition without cost-prohibitive fees. We have only just begun our expansion process, and we see no end in sight for our growth and our partnership with VAI. Beyond the unlimited user license, the customer service that accompanies the software makes choosing VAI a no brainer. We feel confident in the partnership that we have developed with VAI, and we trust they will continue to support us as our business grows, well into the foreseeable future.”

As they move forward with expanding their business, Kauffman can do so with confidence knowing that VAI’s MRP application and unlimited user licensing will assist in continuing to incorporate new teams and processes as they work toward a unified goal for success.

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