The fact that it has selected Force 9 Business Solutions to assist with the process of replacing its existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system with Epicor Software's fully integrated Manufacturing ERP solution has been announced today by a global supplier of cold formed components for the automotive and power semiconductor industries, Floform.

In the past 18 months, Floform has experienced massive growth, which combined with significant projected expansion in the coming years, has enabled the company to invest £¼ million in a new IT system to enhance communications with customers and suppliers and bring further efficiencies to the factory floor.

Floform, with the assistance of a grant from the Welsh Development Agency, has placed an order for a fully integrated ERP system that will provide the required level of control across the entire organization, Epicor Manufacturing. The Epicor solution selected by Floform includes manufacturing, finance, sales order entry and purchasing modules, and will be linked to materials and resource planning, materials ordering and machine time planning.

Mark Langston, Commercial Director of Floform, declared: "To meet my needs and the need of our Company, I must have daily, monthly and yearly overviews of sales and financial performance with visibility of aged debt performance, all on a live ongoing basis. Our production personnel need instantaneous access to data such as the availability of machines and product at any particular time." He added: "Our current system has served us well, but the growth we have already generated, together with our plans for the future has led to a pressing need for greater capacity within our IT network and also a system that will give us more information instantly and remotely."

MD of Force 9, Derek Sanderson, declared: "Floform had a requirement for some specific customisation to manage copper pricing which is easily achievable with the Epicor solution." He added: "The software is inherently flexible, allowing us to meet the specific needs of Floform's business by enabling instant display of significant information to all relevant employees"