Metform International Ltd.

The Company: About Metform International Ltd.

Metform International Ltd, located in Mississauga, Ontario, has been in business for over 45 years. Supplying Roll Forming Machines and Coil Processing Equipment to many key metal processing industries, Metform applies experience and knowledge learned to each customer’s project. Metform has developed a worldwide presence in the automotive, metal building products, steel coiling processes, rail car, heavy construction, solar, agriculture, and highway products industries.

The Situation: Streaming Data

Back in 2001, Metform was on the hunt for a material resource planning (MRP) software solution that would help their company win bids as well as make them a competitive force worldwide. Streaming all of their information and being able to track past and present data was important to ensure projects would be successful.

The Solution: Total ETO

Metform was discouraged at first as very few software solutions understand the unique dealings of an engineer-to-order (ETO) company. After seeing what Total ETO could do and how closely it mimicked their business structure already, Metform knew that Total ETO was the solution to launch them into the next level of competition and worldwide success.

Metform chose Total ETO in 2005 and has been happy they did ever since. The intuitive design of the software made training easy and the knowledgeable staff at Total ETO has been helpful with ongoing support throughout the past 13+ years.

In the dynamic world of custom design manufacturing, Managers need fast access to important information in order to spot problems quickly, analyze operations and make better decisions. Total ETO’s integrated system provides staff at Metform with easy access to this information. Executives have real-time viewing of project and job progress and costing versus estimate with drill-down analysis capability.

The Results: Total ETO Implementation Benefits

· Centralized database streamlines all past and present data eliminates duplicate entry and clerical mistakes, and provides powerful search capabilities of past and present information. These efficiencies have enabled Metform to grow its business.

· Crystal Reporting engines enable management to run reports indicating a clear summary and detailed information on any data they require. ​“Metform would be lost without the Report Center Costing Labor report”

· Time freed up from heavy data entry and request for quotations means departments like Purchasing can focus their time on important cost-cutting measures.

· Fast track spare parts order system captures entire spare parts order transactions, from estimate to order entry, in a single working screen. Searches, imports, purchasing history, and any other purchasing data and function can be handled directly from there, eliminating the reliance on Designers or Buyers for this information.

· Identify all material costs by project, job, or assembly. ​“The ease at which purchasing can add Non-BOM items to the procurement screen is very efficient.”

· Time and attendance alternatives including simple timecard entry, data collection services, and bar code readers.

· Manufacturing information automatically integrated into accounting, costing, payroll, and project files. A host of reports provides management with a clear summary and detailed information on progress and results.

· Total ETO allows Metform to create Requests for Quotations quickly, evaluate bids, issue POs, modify and revise POs or assign inventory. Buyers can purchase parts for single or multiple projects and jobs on a single purchase order, purchase to inventory, or to indirect accounts. ​“The ability to be able put out RFQ’s for the same item to multiple suppliers at the same time via one email is just stellar”, states Tom Hirschler.