Siddall And Hilton Plan Intelligently

West Yorkshire, United Kingdom (February 19, 2010) - Like many businesses Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd has until now planned its production operations through a combination of planning boards, databases, spreadsheets and the gut feel of experienced employees. However, with hundreds of orders being processed and priorities being frequently changed management of operations was becoming a headache and Siddall & Hilton Products Ltd needed help.

The company looked at a variety of software solutions that could within a few seconds assess thousands of permutations on five production lines over two manufacturing sites. The system also needed to take into account shift patterns, changeovers, bottlenecks, planned and unplanned downtime and a variety of other parameters that affect most 24 hour manufacturing operations.

The company elected to install the well proven and locally configurable Preactor APS to not only deliver the required planning capability but to also enable 'what if' scenarios to be tested so that, for example, sales staff could really see the knock on effect of slotting an additional urgent order into the production program and could more confidently report an expected delivery date back to a customer.

The expected benefits include reduced work in progress which will free up shop floor space, improved on time deliveries, reduce lead times, improved productivity and the reduction of what can be long machine changeover times.

The Preactor APS software will be integrated with existing Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd software and systems and new staff have been recruited to help implement and manage the system to ensure that the company gains the maximum benefit and flexibility as quickly as possible.

Managing Director, Neil Stewardson said "We considered a variety of advanced planning & scheduling systems in order to select the best fit for our business. The new system which will be fully operational by the end of March is expected to help us work smarter rather than harder which will benefit company performance overall. We also expect significant improvements in lead times and in the accuracy of information that is being presented to customers and to the management which will serve to strengthen our position in the market. The new system will also compliment other lean manufacturing initiatives that we have undertaken".

For information about Siddall & Hilton or any of their products, visit www.sandhp.com or phone +44(0)1484 401610

Yorkshire based Siddall & Hilton are leading specialist providers of garden fencing, wire fencing, industrial fencing, coat hangers and metal fencing in the UK. Priding themselves on their experience, project flexibility, and expertise, Siddall & Hilton strive for a culture of enthusiasm which, through sustained and innovative investment in equipment and people, creates products and customer relationships that really differentiate and add value to their business.