Construction Specialties (CS) UK is a specialist architectural product supplier, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.  The company is using the Access Supply Chain solution to support business improvement

CS UK operates in a fiercely competitive sector and it is in the areas of sales order processing and production that CS UK expects to make the greatest efficiencies.  "It's as much a review of our processes as the way the system supports them," says financial controller, Andrew Cousens.

The Access Supply Chain system takes quotes from CS UK's customer relationship (CRM) software and drives the order process from that point on. "For us, it drives everything from sales order processing, purchasing order processing, inventory control, despatch and invoice, before feeding directly into the financial ledger," explains Cousens. 

Cousens is convinced the benefits will materialise very quickly. "We will be able to speed up our order entry process enormously," he says. Previously, each operator would check stock availability and highlight requirements to the purchasing department before entering any order. "Now, we can put an order on the system and a picking list will be generated immediately: this will highlight anything that can't be picked and flag it with the purchasing department. It will be a much faster and smoother process."

The business is also about to move to online credit checking: "At the moment, every order is checked by someone in our accounts department. Once we implement this change, an order will only be flagged with accounts if the customer's credit limit has already been exceeded."

As well as selling its range of products to major contractors, the business also offers a supply and install service.  Access Supply Chain has the capability to run as contracting software: "This gives us the ability to control the jobs, including the labour costs and materials costs, for example," adds Cousens. "It really does have broad functionality."

Since 1975, CS UK has built a very successful operation offering a wide range of products, from entrance matting for shopping centres through to bacteria-resistant wall coverings and paint for hospitals. Its leading-edge design and innovation underpins the company's product range and it is now a thriving business with a turnover approaching £8 million.  Acrovyn, an 'impact protection' product widely used in hospitals, is the company's best-selling product.