R&S Grating accelerates operations with cloud ERP from Wiise

R&S Grating, an Australian civil products supplier, has reported significant operational improvements following its switch to cloud-based ERP provider Wiise.

Founded in 1974 and operating across Victoria, R&S Grating has historically serviced a broad customer base, from government infrastructure teams to individual renovators. With increased demand and a growing product portfolio, the company faced a range of challenges stemming from outdated systems and manual processes.

Operational challenges

As the business expanded, R&S Grating relied heavily on manual systems for inventory tracking and forecasting. The company struggled to keep up with more complex supply chain demands and experienced frequent stock outages, particularly during periods of high demand. Quarterly reviews of sales data, conducted using spreadsheets, meant that insights were often delayed, affecting the company's ability to respond to market shifts or prevent stock shortages.

Tim Hockham, Director at R&S Grating, described how these outdated processes displaced efficiency:

"We used to spend hours pulling together spreadsheets just to figure out what stock we'd need. Now it takes seconds."

With stock controlled through disconnected, error-prone systems, predicting future requirements or analysing demand was challenging. The team often depended on estimates and experience instead of accurate, timely data. The complications extended to compliance and administration, as quality objectives needed for ISO 9001 certification were managed largely by hand via workarounds.

Implementation of cloud ERP

The company's adoption of Wiise—a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system—was led by Hockham, who prioritised workflow automation, accuracy in forecasting, and scalable processes. Wiise now connects R&S Grating's inventory, sales, and purchasing data in real time, providing a single point of reference for decision-making across the business.

Sales reporting and forecasting transitioned to integrated Power BI dashboards, replacing the previous manual spreadsheet consolidation approach. This change enabled forecasting up to 12 months ahead and improved coordination with suppliers.

Landed cost management also improved through the system's ability to assign shipping and import costs directly to items, supporting more stable pricing strategies during periods of freight volatility.

Results and efficiency gains

Since the implementation of Wiise, R&S Grating has recorded a 98% DIFOT (delivery in full, on time) rate and a 30% reduction in holding costs. Data entry and order management times have been reduced by 60%, while the business continues to maintain strong customer service and ISO 9001 standards without increasing administrative staff numbers.

Improvements in forecasting and inventory management have in turn reduced the frequency of stock outages for high-demand products. Hockham highlighted how accurate information has changed their approach to promotions and inventory:

"Before Wiise, we had real issues with stock outages because we just couldn't forecast accurately. At one point, we were even afraid to promote some of our heavier products — 50 kilos each — because we couldn't keep up with demand. Now, with accurate forecasting and better inventory management, we rarely run out of anything."

Day-to-day reporting is now delivered via live dashboards, reducing the administrative workload and expediting business decision-making. Compliance metrics, including shipping effectiveness and customer satisfaction, are tracked and reported automatically, making audits and reviews more straightforward.

Impact on operations and growth

The adoption of cloud ERP has enabled R&S Grating to continue scaling while keeping financial and sales staffing levels steady. Staff are able to focus on more value-added tasks rather than manual data compilation or administrative reviews.

Describing the transformation, Hockham said:

"By far the most valuable feature of Wiise is complete access to our data. It's not just about visibility — it's about what that visibility enables. We've been able to forecast inventory up to 12 months in advance, reduce stock outages, and make informed decisions that keep our operations running smoothly."

He added:

"We used to go through this time-consuming quarterly sales review just to figure out what stock we might need. Now, it's a live dashboard — we hit refresh, and within 30 seconds we have up-to-the-minute data we can act on. It's completely changed how we plan and respond to demand."

R&S Grating's experience illustrates the ongoing trend towards digital transformation within Australian SMEs, particularly in businesses facing complex supply chain requirements and regulatory compliance.