A North Yorkshire manufacturer of excavator attachments is replacing paperwork with digital technology that will create the capacity for international growth.
Robustrack has introduced an integrated ERP platform and barcode technology that provides real-time visibility of inventory and production, helping staff spend less time on administration and more time supporting customers and developing new products.
Supported by Made Smarter Yorkshire, the investment will halve manual administration and support more than 30 per cent turnover growth over the next three years.
We knew there were opportunities to digitalise the way we manage stock and data, but finding the time and expertise to properly explore those options is always a challenge in a growing SME. The support from Made Smarter has been invaluable and marks a positive step forward as we continue to modernise and grow.
Claire Procter, Director of Robustrack
Established in 2014, Ingleton-based Robustrack imports hydraulic attachments from specialist manufacturers in Italy and fabricates bespoke brackets and fittings in-house, supplying customers across agriculture, construction, demolition, forestry and recycling throughout the UK and Europe.
While the business had embraced digital technology earlier than many in its sector, investing in CRM software, cloud accounting systems and a strong online presence, continued growth exposed the limitations of its first-generation digital systems. Day-to-day operations still relied heavily on spreadsheets, paper-based job cards and manual stock management, making it increasingly difficult to connect sales, production, warehousing and inventory while accurately forecasting demand and managing stock.
Recognising it had outgrown its existing systems, Robustrack approached Made Smarter Yorkshire to help shape the next phase of its digital transformation.
Robustrack's Made Smarter journey began with a Digital Roadmap, which validated the leadership team's vision, prioritised investment and identified systems integration as the business's greatest opportunity for improvement.
The roadmap recommended developing a formal digital strategy centred on an integrated ERP platform, supported by barcode technology, warehouse digitisation and improved production planning, while recognising that successful transformation would depend as much on people as technology.
Claire said: "You think they're going to come in and say, 'Get a robot welder and off you go.' But actually it was much more people and team focused."
With a clear strategy in place, Robustrack secured specialist consultancy through Made Smarter's Intensive Technical Support programme to configure a Zoho ERP platform around the company's specific workflows. Working with RTC North and specialist consultants, the business designed a fully integrated system connecting CRM, inventory, production planning, procurement and warehouse management into a single digital platform.
To accelerate implementation, Robustrack also benefited from a Made Smarter Digital Internship. Economics graduate Nick Cerca, from the University of Bristol, used his coding expertise to modernise CRM and inventory management processes while exploring opportunities to integrate automation and AI-ready functionality into the new platform.
Building on those foundations, the business secured an £9,250 Made Smarter technology grant towards an £18,500 data and systems integration project. The investment funded barcode scanners, label printers, digital weighing scales, tablets, fibre broadband and supporting hardware, enabling Robustrack to digitise stock control and replace paper-based processes with real-time data capture throughout its operations.
Although implementation is still ongoing, Robustrack has made significant progress in delivering the transformation identified through its Digital Roadmap.By carefully planning the transition over almost 12 months and running old and new systems in parallel, the business has minimised disruption while creating a single source of operational data across sales, purchasing, stock and production.
The integrated platform provides real-time visibility throughout the business, enabling faster decision-making, more accurate forecasting and tighter control of inventory. Stock accuracy is expected to increase from around 85 per cent to more than 98 per cent, while the proportion of staff time spent on manual administration is forecast to halve from 30 per cent to 15 per cent. Average order lead times are also expected to reduce from five to seven days to just two to three days.
By automating routine administrative tasks and improving the quality of business data, employees are spending less time firefighting day-to-day issues and more time supporting customers, developing new products and driving continuous improvement.
Over the next three years, Robustrack forecasts turnover growth of more than 30 per cent, alongside the creation of two new jobs and a doubling of export sales. Improved inventory management, more efficient workflows and better customer service will provide the scalable foundation needed to support that growth.
Robustrack now has the digital foundations in place to support continuous improvement across the business.
The integrated platform provides a scalable infrastructure that will enable the company to continue refining processes, improving operational visibility and introducing further automation as the business evolves.
For Claire, the greatest benefit has been creating the time and headspace to think more strategically about the business.
"It's the old cliché of working on the business rather than in the business, but we're getting there," she said. "Instead of constantly firefighting operational issues, we're able to focus on improving the business, developing new ideas and making better use of our people's skills.
"Made Smarter came in with fresh eyes and a strong commercial and technical understanding and helped us build a much clearer picture of what's possible. The programme has given us a real foundation to move forward with confidence in a more efficient and productive way."
