Kaba Case Study - Graco Inc.

A Paperless Manufacturing Time and Labor Tracking System met by Kaba’s AutoTime® Solution

“Kaba is a good business partner with a strong understanding of manufacturing operations, and is committed to delivering specific customer requirements.”
Kathy Hull, ERP Business Process Analyst

Background

Founded in 1926, Graco is a world leader in fluid handling systems and components. Graco products move, measure, control, dispense and apply a wide range of fluids and viscous materials used in vehicle lubrication, commercial and industrial settings

The company’s success is based on its unwavering commitment to technical excellence, world-class manufacturing and unparalleled customer service. Working closely with qualified distributors, Graco offers systems, products and technology that set the quality standard in a wide range of fluid handling solutions. Graco provides equipment for spray finishing, protective coating, paint circulation, lubrication, and dispensing sealants and adhesives, along with application equipment for the contractor industry.

Graco, with revenues in 2009 of $579M, has 3 business segments: Contractor Equipment, Industrial Equipment, and Lubrication Equipment supported by six manufacturing facilities. Five manufacturing facilities are in the Midwest and one in China. .

Challenge

Graco’s need to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution became evident through the company’s national and international growth. It was time to update Graco’s legacy system to support its growing global business needs. Along with the implementation of Oracle as Graco’s new ERP system, a comprehensive time and labor system was required to support Graco’s manufacturing operations. An online work queue, the ability to transact a large quantity of shop floor transactions and the ability to move parts through multiple job operations across multiple factories, were essential. That, coupled with the uniqueness of Graco’s labor efficiency reporting, would be significant factors in determining Graco’s solution to replace its prior system “Speed of the system was critical,” according to Kathy Hull, ERP Business Process Analyst at Graco.

Solution

Graco selected Kaba’s AutoTime solution because of its proven interface to Oracle’s ERP system. Additionally, Graco determined that Kaba possessed the expertise and ability to deliver a solution that effectively tackled and managed its complex labor environment. At the start of the 10-month project, Kaba’s base product did not offer an online work queue. As a collaborative effort by both companies, specifications were defined to develop an online work queue that would meet Graco’s business requirements, while enhancing Kaba’s core product offering.

In January of 2006, the first implementation took place in Sioux Falls, S.D. “We consider the ability to let employees know how they are performing against engineered standards a real advantage in controlling costs and making improvements. Productivity increases when the system is implemented,” said Dwight Peterson, ERP Manager at Graco. Hull added that “there were design challenges along the way, but once completed, AutoTime has proven to be a solution that was easily transitioned into the manufacturing environment.”

Key Requirements met by Kaba’s AutoTime:

• Online Work Queue
• Realtime interface between Oracle WIP and AutoTime
• Ability to track detailed labor efficiency
• Group Labor Punching
• Charge time to a job across multiple manufacturing facilities
• Proven interfaces to Payroll and Human Resources systems

Graco invested in custom programming to add specific enhancements to the online queue, utilizing Kaba’s technical expertise to develop the solution. Since the initial deployment, Graco has continued to grow the deployment of AutoTime to its other manufacturing facilities. Kaba’s user-friendly system and proven implementation methodology helped ensure a smooth deployment strategy for Graco. Graco has expanded its use of AutoTime, now utilizing the system for its U.S. office-hourly payroll reporting and Design Engineering time tracking.

About Kaba Workforce Solutions (KBM)

Kaba Workforce Solutions (KBM) is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of publicly listed Kaba Holding AG, (SWISS:KABN) located in Switzerland. KBM is a global provider of enterprise workforce management and access control solutions. As a company KBM places primary focus on time and attendance, workforce scheduling, data visualization and analytics, regulatory compliance, employee self-service and fixed/mobile data collection solutions. Seamless, dependable and secure integration is provided with SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle/PeopleSoft, Cincom Manufacturing Business Solutions, and other leading enterprise-class business systems. KBM can be contacted in North America at 954.416.1720 or at www.kaba-benzing-usa.com.

About the Kaba Group

The Kaba Group is one of the world’s leading players in the security industry. An internationally active, listed company, it employs staff in more than 60 countries. Kaba provides innovative, comprehensive access control solutions for buildings, facilities and sites as well as solutions for staff and enterprise data collection, which meets client’s needs for security, organization and convenience. The company is a key expert and technology leader for a range of security solutions. Kaba can look back on more than 145 years of tradition. Further information may be obtained at www.kaba.com.

Kaba Workforce Solutions
3015 North Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33025
Telephone: 954.416.1720
Fax: 954.416.1721
www.kaba-benzing-usa.com