Business Situation
ShoreMaster has a complex business model that includes different products, locations, and manufacturing facilities. Its original enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution lacked the flexibility to map to these operations, resulting in a fragmented picture of global financial health and a poor understanding of inventory, supplier goods, and customer orders.

The management team at ShoreMaster needed a new ERP solution to grow the business. The company needed software flexible enough to encompass all its businesses at all locations. Given the approaching busy summer season, it was imperative that ShoreMaster deploy the new solution before March 2008.

Solution
ShoreMaster engaged with Avanade to achieve this complex ERP migration in time. After considering SAP and Oracle solutions, ShoreMaster chose Microsoft Dynamics® AX business software. In just seven months, Avanade and ShoreMaster configured, tested, and deployed 25 different Microsoft Dynamics AX modules and introduced the Dynamics AX intracompany transfer methodology.

Working with the Camdenton and Fergus Falls staffs to define the company’s master data, Avanade helped ShoreMaster overcome established divisions between the residential and commercial businesses to benefit from a common operating model. With a single instance of Microsoft Dynamics AX, ShoreMaster is managing its manufacturing business collectively, while supporting individual product lines across multiple locations.

Results
Avoided U.S.$500,000 in redeployment costs by meeting summer season deadline

• Consolidated different manufacturing processes, locations, and product lines under one holistic management solution
• Cut inventory costs
• Reduced month-end closing by 2 days
• Improved project management
• Gained increased business insight with Balanced Scorecard that provides a daily snapshot of global operations