A Solent manufacturer whose specialist lighting and portable power products are used around the world is targeting major productivity and efficiency gains as it prepares for further international growth.
NightSearcher, based in Portsmouth, is investing £38,000 in an integrated ERP system, backed by a £19,000 grant from Made Smarter South East, to connect its operations and improve access to real-time business data.
The project is forecast to cut administrative time by up to 40%, reduce order-to-dispatch times by 20%, increase warehouse productivity by up to 20%, and create a scalable digital platform to support the company's expansion.
As the business has grown, we recognised the need for a more integrated approach to managing our operations and data. Investing in Odoo ERP will give us greater visibility across the business, reduce manual processes, and ensure information is available in real time.
Colin Howard, Managing Director of NightSearcherBy bringing key functions together within a single system, we expect to improve efficiency, strengthen decision-making, and create a more scalable platform for future growth.
For more than 35 years, NightSearcher has designed and manufactured innovative portable lighting and power solutions for professional users worldwide. Its products are used across security, emergency services, construction, rail, utilities and industrial environments.
As demand has grown, the business has expanded its international presence with operations in Germany, Poland, Hong Kong and Australia, creating a more complex operation requiring connected digital systems.
Its internal systems had become increasingly fragmented, with sales, finance, customer management, stock control, repairs and e-commerce managed through standalone platforms and a legacy repairs database. This meant duplicate data entry, increased administration and limited visibility across the business.
Working with Technology Adoption Specialist Keith Russell and Organisation & Workforce Development Adviser Tony Ford, the business completed a Digital Transformation Workshop examining its operations from product development and manufacturing to warehousing, sales and customer service. This produced a tailored digital roadmap identifying opportunities to integrate systems, automate processes and improve visibility.
A key recommendation was introducing an integrated ERP system to bring core business functions together within a single platform.
To help deliver the project, NightSearcher secured a £19,000 Made Smarter technology grant towards a £38,000 investment in an Odoo ERP system.
Made Smarter South East also placed University of Portsmouth master's student Pyae Aung with the business through its Digital Internship programme to support ERP implementation and warehouse digitisation.
Meanwhile, MD Support Manager Jackie Harwood completed the Leading Digital Transformation programme, developing the leadership and change management skills to support the transformation.
Jackie said: “My role means I'm involved in lots of different areas of the business, from purchasing and operations to sales and supporting our MD, so I get to see first-hand where things work well and where we could do things better.
“The programme gave me the chance to step away from the day-to-day, look at the bigger picture and think about how digital technology could make a real difference across the business.
“The trainers and Made Smarter team were so knowledgeable and experienced and gave me some fresh ideas and the confidence to help drive those changes forward, particularly when it comes to getting different teams involved and making sure everyone is moving in the same direction.”
Beyond the headline improvements, the investment is also expected to strengthen financial performance, improve inventory management and transform after-sales operations.
Better demand planning, purchasing and stock management could improve gross margin by 6–8 percentage points, while barcoding and real-time stock visibility across UK and German operations are forecast to reduce stock discrepancies by 25% and excess stockholding by up to 15%.
Integrating repairs and after-sales services into Odoo is expected to cut handling times by up to 25%, reduce service overheads by around 10% and support a target of reducing defect and return rates to below 1.5%.
Collectively, the improvements are forecast to deliver annual efficiency savings equivalent to 8–10% of operating costs within three years, while creating a scalable digital platform to support increased throughput, product diversification and international expansion.
Alongside the technology investment, the Digital Internship proved a win-win, providing additional support for NightSearcher's ERP implementation while giving Pyae valuable industry experience.
Pyae Aung, who is studying Digital Business Management at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Being involved in a business's digital transformation gave me valuable insight into how technology creates real impact. The internship strengthened my technical skills, communication and professional confidence, while giving me practical experience of working with a manufacturing business.”
With its roadmap in place and implementation underway, NightSearcher's priorities include completing the Odoo rollout, further integrating systems, digitising warehousing and repairs, improving real-time reporting and developing digital skills.
Colin said: “The support from Made Smarter has helped us accelerate this investment and take an important step forward in our digital transformation journey.”
