Turnils finds a global partnership with a competitive edge

With IBS, window covering company Turnils found the consulting partner it was looking for and a supply chain management software supplier with a global presence...

Around the time that film noir masters such as Alfred Hitchcock began casting venetian blind shadows on the likes of James Stewart and Janet Leigh, Turnils began gaining recognition as Sweden’s leading supplier of venetian blinds.

Since the 1950s, Turnils has expanded its offering, largely through partnerships and acquisitions, to become a full supplier to independent fabricators of window coverings in more than 100 countries. This one-stop supplier has its own aluminium rolling mill and a portfolio that includes systems, components, machines and materials, as well as support services in manufacturing and marketing.

Expanded portfolio
Turnils sells all kinds of window coverings, including honeycomb blinds with an insulating function that can dramatically reduce energy costs. Textile products are the largest growth area, but venetian blinds still represent a major chunk of the total sales, and these days they come in “any shape or form,” says marketing manager Jonas Thelandersson.

“In some places, such as Scandinavia, venetian blinds are more function than fashion and 90 percent of the blinds we sell are white, whereas in countries such as the United Kingdom and Italy, it is much more about fashion,” he says.

The mechanical systems for products such as venetian blinds and awnings have, to a large extent, remained the same since the 1980s. However, other product categories more closely linked with interior decorating and home furnishing have emerged.

Competitive advantage
Thelandersson says the window covering industry is going through the same structural changes that are facing many other industries. “The large players get even larger, distribution chains are shortened, and consumer demands, purchasing behavior and awareness are putting pressure on suppliers to develop new product and service areas.”

Turnils works continuously to develop in service areas that focus on products, marketing, business and logistics. Thelandersson says the company is increasingly in need of support tools to survive. This is why Turnils chose IBS ERP software, IBS Enterprise.

“The IBS manufacturing ERP software has helped make us more competitive by giving us knowledge that few of our competitors or customers have. Now we are also in a position to help our customers become more competitive, and in the future we could offer services such as help with accounting, keeping track of stocks and other activities,” says Thelandersson.

Global ERP software solution
In addition to being able to support the company’s technical and operational needs, Turnils chose IBS for two important reasons, says IT manager Bengt-Åke Jonsson. “We wanted a global supplier, located in the countries where we have our operations, and we wanted a supplier that could also be regarded as a partner and a consultant as we continue developing our business. IBS filled these requirements,” he says.

Today, Turnils relies on IBS Enterprise throughout the company, for support with production, ordering, warehousing, distribution and accounting. “We also use it for analyzing and planning our operations,” Jonsson explains.

IBS' enterprise manufacturing software is used in all of Turnils’ 20 business units, located in Sweden, France, England Scotland, Canada, United States, Australia and Singapore. By early 2007, the solution will also be up and running at the company’s two factories in Poland.

Smarter production planning
IBS' integrated manufacturing ERP software helps Turnils shorten lead-times and reduce inventory costs. The ERP software solution has taken the guesswork out of the company’s production planning, including capacity/workload problems and material shortages.

The ERP software solution allows Turnils to use a blend of demand planning, sales and operation planning and supply planning – all with real-time sales and inventory information, graphical tools and simulation. “The methods available from IBS Manufacturing are designed to give us control over our planning processes and visibility throughout our supply chain,” Jonsson explains.

Multi-currency a must
With customers in more than 100 countries, currency handling is an important area for Turnils. It is also a built-in feature of IBS manufacturing ERP software, along with multi-lingual, cross-border and multi-company handling. IBS Enterprise allows Turnils to make the most from its currency transactions. “By keeping track of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly averages, as well as lows, highs and mediums for currency rates, IBS' business management supply chain software allows us to minimise exchange rate losses and maximise gains,” says Jonsson.

Real partnership
By creating an IT group consisting of people from IBS and Turnils who know the IBS manufacturing ERP system, but who also understand Turnils’ operations, the two companies have been able to form the partnership Turnils was looking for, Jonsson points out.

“This core group has essentially worked together since the very first installation, resulting in an IT group with a great combination of skills and knowledge regarding both IBS functionality and Turnils operations. That has enabled us to secure our lead-times on an installation or an upgrade, and we have been able to make good use of IBS' enterprise manufacturing software features within our various operations,” he says.

Working with IBS manufacturing ERP consultants who have a great deal of knowledge about Turnils makes it easier to transfer an idea or an operational change to an IBS function or solution, Jonsson explains. “Suppliers find it easier to understand system changes, and the result is better and carried out faster. Being able to discuss development issues with a competent partner speeds up and improves solutions,” he says and adds, “IBS doesn’t offer just manufacturing ERP software, it offers an ERP solution and a partnership, and that is just what Turnils wants.”

For more information

IBS Australia
www.ibsaustralia.com
Ph +61 2 8875 9000
info@ibsaustralia.com

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