Mixer firm streamlines quote and order processes

Mixing system manufacturer Lightnin has implemented eSales from BigMachines as a channel management application for their manufacturing representatives and application engineers

Lightnin, a Rochester, New York-based unit of $5 billion industrial conglomerate SPX Corporation, supplies mixing systems used in major process industries, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology, minerals, food and beverage, cosmetics and chemicals.

Its unique impeller designs and liquid agitators are used in water treatment plants and large chemical processing factories that typically have a unique combination of fluids of various viscosities in tanks of a multitude of sizes.

With over 75 years of experience in mixing technology, Lightnin pioneered the use of computational fluid dynamics to simulate new mixing applications.

It prides itself on high-tech gadgetry, such as a laser Velocimeter, particle size analyzer, stress and strain sensors and torquemeters.

Lightnin's 70-person sales organization in the US and Munich, Germany used to rely on manual processes to select, mechanically check, configure and create quotations, as well as to generate bills of materials (BOMs) and assembly routings into their Baan ERP system.

But mechanical checks and configuration meant manufacturer representatives and application engineers had to apply time-consuming complex logic to sophisticated combinations of configurable attributes for mixer designs.

In August 2000, Lightnin looked for an e-business tool to streamline selling processes, cut costs and cycle times and raise transaction quality.

The company also required a product that could be integrated with AutoCAD to dynamically-generate quote and installation drawings.

"Let's be honest.

This type of project is very difficult and requires partners who understand how Internet technology can address the needs of industrial equipment manufacturers and their markets," said Richard Gray, VP of e-business and Information Services at Lightnin.

Lightnin implemented eSales from BigMachines of Foster City, California as a channel management application for their manufacturing representatives and application engineers.

These users can access eSales from anywhere in the world to generate quotes and drawings and submit orders on behalf of their customers.

This is how it works: Once logged in to eSales, a manufacturer representative enters selection criteria and specifies configurations for new mixers.

eSales dynamically generates bills of materials and CAD drawings based on this configuration.

The user may also search for and purchase aftermarket parts.

He or she then uses eSales to create and send a quote back to the customer for approval.

After the customer accepts the quote, the manufacturer representative submits the order and accompanying BOMs, which are automatically fed into Lightnin 's ERP system and then sent to the factory floor.

Previously, the rep would ask a client what his requirements were, based on tank volume, viscosity and engineering needs.

As Godard Abel, co-founder and CEO of BigMachines, explains "They didn't know how to quote for that product, so had to fax those specifications into Lightnin.

An application engineer would then try to select the right product and configure it menially using Excel tables.

An initial configuration would be faxed back to the rep that would discuss changes with the engineer then with the customer.

It was a very manual process." BigMachines focuses on the engineered industrial vertical markets, but encounters some competition from horizontal software vendors like IBM and Oracle.

Gray testifies that "since implementing BigMachines eSales as our sales process automation and channel management solution, we have significantly streamlined our quote and order processes, we eventually expect to reduce costs up to four percent of annual sales with BigMachines." With eSales, the salesman has no need to involve the engineer back in his factory.

As Abel comments "That's a great benefit for the customer because you don't want to hang around waiting for a quote from Lightnin, you want to get on with your project.

The rep simply enters the customer's engineering requirements and the software enables the rep to select the right mixer line, configure it, and automatically get a quote within 15 minutes of the initial discussion.

Traditionally they would have gone back and forth for up to four weeks with many man hours wasted." In addition, automated order and BOM generation processes have decreased the error rate on orders and BOMs by 90 percent.

As a result, Lightnin reduces misapplications and warranty costs, while their customers receive the optimal product for their machinery requirements.

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