Does a Manufacturing SME Really Need an ERP System? Online Peer Learning Session

Join E-DATA Collaborative Network for a peer-learning session and manufacturing case study

If your production schedule lives in a spreadsheet, quotes take days to turn around, and you only find out a job is late when the customer calls – you’re not alone. As manufacturing SMEs grow and product complexity increases, many reach a tipping point where the old ways of working start costing real money.

This session is for manufacturing SME owners, operations managers, and anyone weighing up whether it’s time to move beyond spreadsheets.

A decade ago, Motion Impossible started with a bold idea: a stabilised camera rig that could chase cheetahs for the BBC. Today, they’re an EMMY award-winning manufacturer of modular, robotic camera systems used by filmmakers worldwide, built in Bristol, sold globally, and still pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in camera technology.

But behind that growth was a familiar SME problem: production running entirely on spreadsheets, increasingly complex Bills of Materials as products evolved, and a business that had outgrown the tools it was using to run it.

On this E-DATA Collaborative Network session, we’ll explore how SMEs can move from manual tracking to real-time visibility. We’ll hear from Sara Duff, Director of Smart Manufacture, who will unpack what “needing an ERP” really means for a manufacturing SME and how to approach the decision.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from Andrew Nancollis, Managing Director of Motion Impossible, on what their MRP journey actually looked like: the trigger points, the false starts, and what changed once they got it right.

Key insights

· When spreadsheets and manual processes become a barrier to growth

· ERP and digital technology options for manufacturing SMEs

· Key implementation considerations and common pitfalls

· A real-world case study from Motion Impossible

Speakers

Aodheen Dougan is the E-DATA Collaborative Network Lead and Business Engagement Manager for Manufacturing NI. The E-DATA Collaborative Network brings businesses together to explore practical opportunities in digital technology, data, AI and sustainability.

Sara Duff is Director of Smart Manufacture, part of Smart Quality Services. With over 30 years in marketing, business development, and sales management across corporate telecoms and IT, Sara co-founded Smart Quality Services in 2019 with Richard Duff to help B2B companies adopt best practice and build structure into their operations. Through Smart Manufacture, she helps small manufacturers streamline and automate their processes using ERP systems designed specifically for manufacturing SMEs.

Andrew Nancollis is Managing Director of Motion Impossible, the Bristol-based manufacturer behind AGITO, the world’s first modular robotic dolly system, and ReACTIVE, the world’s first 6DOF camera stabiliser. Andrew co-founded the company alongside CEO Rob Drewett, and has helped grow it from a garage-built prototype into an industry essential for TV and film production.

Agenda

– Introduction to E-DATA – Aodheen Dougan
– ERP: the challenge, options, and practical considerations – Sara Duff
– Case study – Motion Impossible’s MRP journey, with Andrew Nancollis
– Q&A