Average repair time reduced from over 90 to 60 days

Citation

(1999), "Average repair time reduced from over 90 to 60 days", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 71 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1999.12771faf.008

Average repair time reduced from over 90 to 60 days

The challenge for repair and overhaul specialists in the aerospace business is to ensure that work is handled quickly and effectively, so that aircraft are kept in service for as much of their operational life as possible. It is reported that in just 12 months BF Goodrich Aerospace's site Prestwick, Scotland, has increased turnover by 400 per cent and reduced repair time by 30 per cent. It has achieved this improvement in operational efficiency with support from Symix, the specialist in Customer Synchronised Resource Planning (CSRP) systems.

BF Goodrich is a global organisation with an annual turnover of $4.5 billion. The aerospace arm of the business accounts for 70 per cent of total revenue. BF Goodrich operates four UK aerospace sites between London and Prestwick. Although it was only established in 1996, Prestwick has quickly become the company's UK flagship site, and has increased its turnover by 400 per cent during 1998 from $5.7 million to $20 million.

The Prestwick site is responsible for the repair and overhaul of the nacelle and thrust reverser on aeroplanes. The nacelle is the aerodynamic and noise reducing engine casing and the thrust reverser is the braking device housed within the nacelle. Prestwick's 90 employees work on up to 120 live jobs at a time, for customers across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, including British Airways, Cyprus Airlines and Rolls Royce. The standard length of time for each repair and overhaul job used to be 90 over days. But with the help of Symix's SyteLine software this, we are informed, has been reduced by a third, to an average of 60 days.

For safety and security reasons, the tracking and reporting of every single part at all times is crucial in the aerospace industry. BF Goodrich Aerospace in Prestwick recognised the need for an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to integrate disparate parts and job information and automate its business processes.

The main criteria for an ERP system for BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick was that it had to be flexible software that could be tailored to meet specific business needs and support its anticipated growth. Having considered a number of vendors BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick decided to choose Symix's SyteLine solution.

Eugene Gallanagh, financial controller at BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick, explains: "There were a number of factors that led us to Symix. The product, SyteLine, was by far the best match to our requirements. Each job that we do demands specially configured parts and entirely different processes. Unlike other systems on offer, SyteLine supports the diversity and complexity of our work".

Since April 1997 BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick has invested over »400,000 in software, hardware and support from Symix. Version 3.5 of Symix's SyteLine has since gone live across the entire business, from parts control to human resources and financials.

As a result, the company has gained a number of business benefits. The automation of all of its processes has increased operational efficiency, supporting growth by the company and allowing it to take on more business.

In particular, SyteLine has helped BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick to improve its parts tracking process. This has been a huge step forward, as Gallanagh explains: "On the operations side, SyteLine has given us full control over the tracking of our parts and processes. Traceability not only improves the running of our business, but also means that we are in a far better position to meet the regulatory reporting requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)".

SyteLine provides access to enterprise-wide data on the desktop, Symix believes that this has enabled BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick to develop a more effective knowledge management strategy. Before implementing SyteLine, it was difficult to share information across the company. Symix's integrated ERP system provides a pool of data that can be accessed by everyone in the company from their PC. This gives individuals more flexibility and control when accessing specific data.

As a result, BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick'reports that it has been able to develop closer relationships with its customers. The customer oriented Customer Synchronised Resource Planning (CSRP) system gives customer facing staff immediate access to accurate information, such as project status. This means they are able to respond to enquiries quickly and effectively.

The company also considers that the system has also enabled it to develop more effective human resource management. All information about employees is maintained on SyteLine, such as employment history and salary. For example, data about employee skills and areas of expertise makes it easier to determine where individual skills can be most appropriately deployed. And because SyteLine integrates human resources with other areas of the business, such as project status, BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick can now track labour and calculate costs more efficiently and with greater precision.

To be sure of success, BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick opted for a gradual implementation process. SyteLine's financial module was the last to go live in December 1998, and Goodrich reports that it is already reaping the benefits. SyteLine has integrated and automated the company's purchase ledger and sales ledger, which were previously non-integrated and managed using spread sheets. This has increased operational efficiency and substantially removed the chances of human error.

One reason suggested for the successful implementation of SyteLine has been Symix's proactive support. Since August 1998, Symix consultants have spent three days every month on site in Prestwick. Ahead of each visit, BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick identifies areas where it needs consultancy or training to enable it to get the most out of the system. Symix consultants then address those needs.

Gallanagh continues: "The regular on-site consultancy has really helped us to reap the benefits of our investment in SyteLine. It also gives Symix an ongoing opportunity to understand our fundamental and changing business needs, so that it in turn can provide more effective support. The ongoing training provided is particularly valuable in enabling us to get the most out of the system".

The next stage for BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick is to ensure that, with Symix's help, staff become better acquainted with the capabilities of SyteLine. Steps have already been taken towards this aim. For example each department now has a "Symix champion" - a member of staff well acquainted with SyteLine, who can answer colleagues' simple queries. Because of this, each department is able to improve its knowledge of SyteLine, and so use it to work more effectively.

Due to the success of the project, BF Goodrich Aerospace Prestwick is now looking at the possibility of investing further in Symix CSRP software.

Gallanagh concludes: "We estimate that the annual turnover of the two sites will reach $100 million within the next three years, and are confident that Symix will continue to support this growth".

Details available from: Symix (UK) Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 121 606 5500; Fax: +44 (0) 121 606 5501; E-mail stevau@symix.com; http://www.symix.com