MRP implementation consultant for small manufacturers

This is for manufacturers that own an ERP with MRP, or are about to, and need the planning side to work.

• Plants that bought an ERP but still plan purchasing in spreadsheets.
• Teams whose MRP suggestions are ignored because they look wrong.
• Companies moving to a new ERP that want planning set up properly from day one.
• Manufacturers adding products, sites or suppliers faster than the master data keeps up.
• Owners who want a second opinion before paying for more software.

MRP is only as good as the data and settings behind it. When results look wrong, the cause is usually one of these:

• Bills of material that do not match how the product is actually built.
• Lead times that are years old or copied from a quote rather than what the supplier delivers.
• Lot sizes, order minimums and safety stock set once and never revisited.
• Inventory records that do not match the shelf.
• Planning settings, such as time fences and order policies, left at the software defaults.

We work inside your system with your team. Depending on scope, the engagement covers:

• A review of item master, BOM, routing and supplier records, with a prioritized fix list.
• Lead time, lot size and order policy settings by item group.
• Safety stock and reorder parameters for purchased parts.
• MRP run review: reading exception messages and turning them into a weekly routine.
• Buyer and planner training on how to act on MRP output.
• Simple data-quality checks your team can repeat each month.

We do not resell software or take referral fees, so the advice is about making planning work rather than selling a licence. In many plants the existing ERP already has the MRP functions needed; the gap is data and settings, not software.

If you are still choosing a system, start with ERP and planning software selection, or read MRP vs ERP vs planning software. Before any MRP project, our ERP data cleanup checklist is a useful self-check.

When the data and settings are right, MRP becomes the buyers’ starting point instead of something they work around. Planned orders reflect real demand and real lead times, exception messages point to genuine problems, and the weekly purchasing review takes less time because most suggestions can be accepted as they are.

Getting there is mostly careful, unglamorous work: checking bills of material against the shop floor, updating lead times from actual receipts, setting sensible order policies by item group and agreeing who maintains each field. We prioritize the items that drive the most cost or shortages, so improvement shows early rather than after every record is perfect.

We also set up the routine that keeps MRP healthy: a short monthly data-quality check, a clear owner for lead times and lot sizes, and rules for when planners may override the system. Without that routine, even a well-configured MRP drifts back to untrusted within months.

If you are implementing a new ERP, involving planning early helps. Data decisions made during migration, such as units of measure and item structures, are far harder to change after go-live.

MRP problems are easiest to discuss with a concrete example in front of us. Before the call, gather:

• The name and version of your ERP, and whether MRP is switched on today.
• Two or three parts where MRP suggestions look wrong, with what the buyer did instead.
• Who maintains lead times, lot sizes and BOMs, if anyone does.
• Any go-live or migration dates you are working toward.

Which ERP systems do you work with?

We work with the planning functions in common ERP and MRP systems used by small manufacturers. Tell us your system when you contact us and we will say plainly whether we can help in it.

Are you a certified partner for a particular ERP?

No. We are vendor-neutral. For licensing or technical configuration outside planning, your ERP vendor or partner remains the right contact, and we can work alongside them.

How long does an MRP clean-up take?

It depends on the number of items and the state of the data. We agree the item groups and timeline in the scope.

Do we need to buy new software?

Usually not to start. Many problems are fixed in the data and settings of the system you have.

Who on our side needs to be involved?

A planner or buyer who knows the parts, and someone with access to ERP exports. We agree the time needed up front.

• All services
• Reorder point calculator
• Safety stock calculator
• Outgrowing Excel for inventory
• Supply chain software for small manufacturers