Apreco

Air pressure control specialists make their business smarter

Apreco Ltd, a manufacturer of products to regulate and control air pressure, saw its productivity improve after receiving a grant from Made Smarter West Midlands to help synergise its systems.

The Bishops Frome business had four different computer systems for different parts of its business – accounts, sales, manufacturing, and data capture. After discussions with Made Smarter, Apreco applied for a £20,000 grant for software that fully connected the four systems digitally.

The Challenge

Apreco needed a smart, unified system that was consistent across all aspects of its operations. Production Manager Sophie Fenemore researched software companies that could help, and came across Redditch-based MIE Solutions.

She said: “We felt like it might be the best company to help improve our software. By coincidence, we attended manufacturing supply chain show Subcon in 2021 and came across Made Smarter there.”

The Solution

Martyn Mangan, Digital Transformation Specialist for Made Smarter in Worcestershire, arranged to visit Apreco alongside Made Smarter strategic partner WMG.

Martyn said: “Integrated software from MIE Solutions, alongside new tablets on the shop floor for ease of data entry, was the right solution for Apreco.

“With WMG we produced a ‘digital roadmap’ for Apreco, which gave them a step-by-step process of how to integrate the software, and helped them apply for a £20,000 match-funded grant to pay for it.”

The Benefits

The software ensures there is no duplication across Apreco, and automates a lot of report generation.

Sophie said: “In this day and age, having systems like this can be vital to stay competitive in a challenging market. Receiving the grant was a massive help in making it affordable.”

The Future

Apreco is now looking forward to producing faster turnarounds for its customers thanks to the software.

Sophie added: “Anyone in a similar position to us should talk to Made Smarter, because what you get out of it is totally worth it.”