Customer
Austrade
Products and Services
- Dynamics 365
- Dynamics 365 Customer Insights
- Dynamics 365 Sales
Industry
Food and Beverage Industry
Organization Size
1,000 - 9,999 employees
Country
Australia
Read The Story
"Our work orders were printed on slips of paper, and there was no good way to keep track of which ones were closed and which were still open. If something got lost, it was gone forever. And it was difficult to get information out of the system. It was clearly time for a change.""
Matt Conard, Business Process Lead at Kent Corporation
Kent Corporation, a prominent family-owned enterprise, has established itself as a key player in the food and feed manufacturing sector. The company operates subsidiaries in corn wet milling, animal feed production, and food manufacturing, employing around 1,800 people across the U.S., Canada, and worldwide.
However, the company faced significant challenges regarding efficiency, cost control, and information accessibility. Their outdated maintenance and spare parts system made information retrieval nearly impossible, slowed work processes, and forced the company to adopt reactive rather than proactive maintenance strategies.
The Challenges Faced
Inefficient Maintenance and Spare Parts System
The outdated system hindered operational efficiency and made it difficult to manage maintenance processes effectively.
Lack of Information Accessibility
Retrieving crucial information from the antiquated system was nearly impossible, leading to delays and inefficiencies.
Slow Work Processes
The old system slowed down work processes, affecting overall productivity and operational speed.
Reactive Maintenance Approach
Due to the limitations of the existing system, Kent Corporation was forced to adopt a reactive maintenance strategy, addressing issues only after they occurred rather than preventing them proactively.
Inadequate Cost-Control Mechanisms
The inefficiencies in the system made it difficult to track and manage costs effectively, leading to potential financial inefficiencies
The Solution
After evaluating various options, Kent Corporation chose Dynaway EAM, integrated with Microsoft Dynamics AX. This solution was initially implemented in two of their 22 plants, with plans for a full rollout starting in 2018. The implementation of Dynaway EAM, along with the Dynaway Mobile EAM Client, revolutionised their operations, addressing the core challenges they faced.
Primary Reasons for Choosing Dynaway EAM
Efficient Implementation Process
The team at Dynaway worked closely with Kent Corporation, conducting workshops with representatives from IT, Finance, Maintenance, and Warehousing. This collaborative approach ensured the solution was tailored to their needs, leading to a quick and successful go-live.
Proactive Maintenance Capabilities
The integration of Dynaway EAM allowed Kent Corporation to shift from reactive to proactive maintenance. Tools that increase accountability and provide insights into what’s getting done have significantly reduced reactive work orders by two-thirds.
Streamlined Operations
Dynaway EAM simplified work order management. The solution's seamless integration with the Warehouse and Procurement modules in Microsoft Dynamics AX enabled easy access to parts and streamlined planning, leading to improved performance and less downtime.
The Outcome
The implementation of Dynaway EAM has yielded remarkable benefits for Kent Corporation:
Improved Performance and Reduced Downtime
The integration has led to better performance and significantly less unplanned downtime, boosting productivity.
Enhanced Access to Information
Fast access to data on performance and costs has improved planning and decision-making processes.
Simplified Compliance
The implementation of Dynaway EAM has also simplified compliance processes, enabling Kent Corporation to pass outside audits successfully.
Comprehensive Platform
Kent Corporation transitioned from an outdated system to a modern, integrated platform that improved the efficiency and accessibility of maintenance and spare parts management.
Streamlined Work Processes
The implementation of Dynaway EAM eliminated manual, paper-based work orders, reducing the risk of lost information and ensuring better tracking of open and closed orders.
Proactive Maintenance
The new system allowed Kent Corporation to shift from reactive maintenance to proactive strategies, significantly reducing unplanned downtime and enhancing asset reliability.
Efficient Outage Management
50% Reduction in Overdue Work Orders. Maintenance tasks during planned outages were optimised, saving time and money by reducing unnecessary meetings and ensuring that all work orders were completed efficiently.
Simplified Compliance
The implementation of Dynaway EAM has also simplified compliance processes, enabling Kent Corporation to pass outside audits successfully.
Simplified Compliance
The implementation of Dynaway EAM has also simplified compliance processes, enabling Kent Corporation to pass outside audits successfully.
Cost Transparency
Integrating purchase orders with work orders enabled Kent Corporation to track costs directly to specific assets, improving financial oversight and control.
Seamless Integration
Dynaway EAM’s integration with Microsoft Dynamics AX’s Warehouse and Procurement modules facilitated easy parts management and streamlined the ordering process.
Increased Accountability and Productivity
Tools provided by Dynaway EAM helped reduce reactive work orders by two-thirds, leading to higher productivity and more reliable assets.
Employee Engagement
The transparency and insights offered by the system improved morale and motivation across the organisation, with employees quickly adopting and embracing the new platform.
Long-Term Benefits
Kent Corporation anticipates significant long-term benefits, including the ability to analyse equipment costs across plants, leading to better financial decision-making and resource allocation.
Scalable Implementation
The successful rollout at two plants, covering 20,000 assets and 500 users, set the stage for a company-wide implementation, with plans to replicate the process at other plants.
Collaboration With Dynaway
Kent Corporation's collaboration with Dynaway has proven to be a transformative partnership, driving significant advancements in maintenance management and operational efficiency. By integrating Dynaway EAM into their Microsoft Dynamics AX platform, Kent Corporation not only replaced an outdated system with a cutting-edge solution but also achieved remarkable improvements in process efficiency, cost control, and data accessibility.
The quick and successful implementation, combined with Dynaway's responsive support and tailored training, has empowered Kent Corporation to shift from reactive to proactive maintenance strategies, optimise its resource management, and enhance overall productivity. As the company continues to roll out Dynaway EAM across all their plants, the positive impact on its operations and employee engagement underscores the success of this strategic partnership.
"Tools that increase accountability and help us understand what’s getting done, what’s not getting done, and whether we’re staffing correctly, have helped us cut reactive work orders by two-thirds. The result is more reliable assets, much less unplanned downtime, and higher productivity."
Walker, Maintenance Manager at Kent Corporation