MAXPAX is a quality contract packaging company offering turnkey solutions for the personal care, cleaning, lawn and garden, and hardware industries. The FDA-registered, ISO-certified facility is located in Walworth, Wisconsin, and specializes in packaging a multitude of retail, industrial, and hard-to-package products including cleaners, sanitizers, bath products, paints, stains, adhesives, and epoxies. In addition, the company operates U.S. Packaging, a second production facility in East Troy, Wisconsin, specializing in food, beverage, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical packaging, as well as a third facility.

Situation

Facing growth and with a focus on quality, MAXPAX recognized the need to replace its inefficient legacy system and improve inventory management. The company’s CFO was aware of Wipfli’s expertise in ERP, having previously worked with the firm on an Axapta ERP solution before joining MAXPAX. He engaged Wipfli for its expertise and guidance to help MAXPAX in its implementation journey and improve its inventory management.

Strategy

MAXPAX had zeroed in on Microsoft Dynamics® AX and knew it offered excellent process flows as part of its natural design. To help confirm that software choice, Wipfli conducted demonstrations, assessed the manufacturer’s needs and goals, and invited MAXPAX to accompany the firm to a Microsoft Dynamics Convergence event. Convergence is the premier event for Microsoft Dynamics customers and certified partners, providing a unique opportunity to explore the solution’s full potential. With the right ERP software selected, implementation began.

The internal team at MAXPAX was experienced with and knowledgeable about ERP implementations and relied on Wipfli for a broad spectrum of its resources. Wipfli helped guide MAXPAX in configuring and designing effective processes throughout the system. The firm provided key insights into the solution’s ability to enhance operations and provided vital IT technical support and training.

To assist in the implementation of a warehouse management system and further accelerate its success, Wipfli partnered with RF-SMART, a company specializing in warehouse operations and optimization via mobile connectivity. As a result, an inventory efficiency of 105% was achieved.

Benefits

Wipfli’s guidance throughout the ERP implementation exceeded MAXPAX’s expectations, and inventory management has been greatly improved. Prior to implementation, the inventory accuracy level at the manufacturer was below 50%. Today, that level is 98%. It’s an accuracy level that has eliminated cycle counting and generated significant cost-saving efficiencies for the manufacturer.