Inventory management can be costly, yet necessary in the industry. The excessive gruntwork of this process can lead to:
- Shrinkage is caused by manual tracking and human error, which leads to discrepancies.
- Plant downtime costing an average of up to $15K an hour at Midwest manufacturers
- Inefficient order processing without real-time inventory updates
- Demand forecasting is difficult because the lack of historical data tracking leads to stockouts or overstock.
- Loss and theft are more likely to occur when manual records are kept and tracking is lax.
- Miscalculated stock is common and costly when it leads to unused overstock or constant understocking issues.
Implementing an inventory management system with TraxMRO can mitigate these issues by providing real-time visibility, automating inventory tracking, and improving overall operational efficiency.
How it Works
Collaboration with SMC team members at customer facility is at the beginning of every successful inventory management system. Once an SMC representative has met with your team and done a thorough review of the facility, they will take the findings and create a brief report with suggested solutions. In the TraxMRO Solution you will find all the information needed to make knowledgeable decisions about the details of your inventory.
This software will gather inventory data and create reports for each department and/or project entered into the system. Report findings will show how often your stocked SKUs are used and assign them to a category based on this. These reports can be generated immediately or can be pulled periodically based on the schedule you prefer (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.). Other valuable information includes tracking the usage of SKUs by person, department, and/or project. Narrow down where inventory is used the most and where any excessive stock is costing you.
Once you have set up your customized TraxMRO solution, your SMC representative will perform an Executive Business Review (EBR). This is where all the information collected by TraxMRO software will be analyzed by inventory experts to offer solutions for improved efficiency and optimized stocking. These solutions will be discussed with team members and upper management based on how often you decide it is necessary. With these suggestions you can make informed adjustments to your minimum and maximum stock levels without fear of them changing without your authorization.
Why TraxMRO
Inventory Management by TraxMRO will take the weight of inventory headaches off employees and use stored data to educate decision-makers. Unlike other inventory management systems that are fully automated, we guarantee that a representative is assigned to each TraxMRO client, allowing us to stay proactive against inventory discrepancies. It will also include an easy-to-use portal.
This makes all the information accessible and easily manageable, saving employees time and stress. This portal can have multiple log-ins so that any employee who needs access can have it. There are permissions controls to assign proper access to the appropriate employees. Despite this, you will still have access to a TraxMRO expert for support or any other needs.
Not only does the interface offer control over your inventory, it also offers visibility with your personnel. The system can track who checks out what to verify the proper use and return (if necessary) of any equipment. Tracking will be made easier, mitigating theft or loss. If anything does go missing, the system will be able to track where it was and who had it last.
There are numerous benefits to using TraxMRO as an inventory management system, but just to name a few;
- Savings in labor by freeing up your team’s valuable time.
- Reduced stockouts and overstocks when utilizing the collected data to ensure proper quantities are maintained.
- Increased transparency in regular reviews checking the efficiency of the inventory and identifying savings opportunities including removing unnecessary items.
- Easy-to-use portal interface with a dedicated login to the TraxMRO portal, allowing complete control and transparency in your inventory. This is where minimum and maximum stock levels can be adjusted to ensure critical supplies are always available.
- Flexible start-up - beginning with a simple handshake agreement and small inventory to demonstrate the true benefits before expanding the program.
- Quality parts provided by SMC-approved suppliers. TraxMRO is a division of SMC, ensuring the same quality and service SMC has been known for since 1950.
- Supplier relationships improve by working closely with a vendor to manage your inventory, building a stronger relationship, and negotiating better pricing.
- Improved forecast accuracy using this system can help improve forecast accuracy by providing data on actual usage patterns.
- Kitting to make projects more efficient and cost-effective.
- Tracking project or department spending.
- Personnel tracking or editing when people change positions.
TraxMRO Offerings
Among the offerings of TraxMRO are different levels of security. For smaller, less valuable items, such as nuts and bolts, tracking might not be necessary. A good option for these items would be simple open shelves with organizational bins provided by TraxMRO. For more valuable equipment, vending options and more detailed tracking is available.
Total and complete visibility is attainable when utilizing the barcode solution through TraxMRO. This encompasses all of your stocked SKUs across all vendors, bringing them into one system.
Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)
With VMI by TraxMRO, you will have a dedicated TraxMRO specialist that will work with you to determine the products and levels that need management, as well as setting approvals for orders if required. This specialist will do the inventory count and suggest stocking levels on an agreed upon schedule. With this addition, TraxMRO will provide the barcode software to make the process seamless. This will give you visibility, control, and analytics to all your orders with SMC so you don't have to worry about overstocking or unauthorized purchases.
Customer Managed Inventory (CMI)
Order and count products in your inventory with just the scan of a barcode using the mobile app. Scan once and capture item number, item location, package quantity, min/max, and reorder quantity. This makes ordering easy as you can adjust any details required and place your order. The software will not allow multiple orders to be placed if items are on backorder due to supply chain issues. This lessens the worry of complications with order cancellations and the hassle of amending your order.
Facility Storeroom Management (FMI)
Our Implementation Management Team will work with you to schedule our lean operational sponsored walk-through. We'll identify key areas you want to address so we can provide actionable data illustrating the value TraxMRO in-plant offering is providing to your facility. The Implementation Team will hire the on-site manager as well as the shift attendants who will be located at your facility to streamline your supply chain and deliver the agreed-upon return on investment for you.
Industrial Vending (IV)
Your team has access to necessary equipment with an industrial vending machine on-site. The process is simple and automated with the machine connecting to the TraxMRO software through a secure internet connection.
Gain visibility, control, and invaluable data by utilizing everything TraxMRO offers. Make storeroom operations seamless with the integration of these services. You will see inventory replenish 10x faster than through an e-commerce site or the old-fashioned pen-and-paper method. Ease employee workload and ease your mind knowing your inventory is being handled. SMC has over 70 years of experience managing hundreds of thousands of SKUs, so your inventory will be in good hands.
Andy has been an integral part of the SMC knowledge base for over 27 years. Starting in the warehouse and steadily working his way up to account manager, he now serves as the director of TraxMRO. In this position Andy has developed a deep understanding of customer needs and has honed his skills in building collaborative partnerships.
With a background in industrial environments, he is extremely educated on quality products and a vast majority of industry manufacturers and suppliers. This reinforces his drive to support customers with tailored solutions.
For help with your inventory management Contact Us. For more information about your savings with TraxMRO, use the ROI calculator below!