News

Support for Making Tax Digital for VAT (MTD), which requires the electronic submission of VAT Returns via the HMRC API has been developed within K8. You can prepare your VAT Return within K8 and submit this via the K8 MTD Bridge, which handles all of the communication with HMRC. You’ll have heard a lot from us about MTD recently, but if you still need assistance please don’t hesitate to contact us.

inspHire Limited is pleased to announce its acquisition of the inspHire software business from its reseller Elev8 Australia Pty Ltd.

inspHire has provided its award-winning rental solutions through its local reseller for the last 12 years and now plans to service customers directly. It targets a number of core markets including heavy plant, construction vehicles, powered access equipment, oil and gas equipment, portable toilets, audio visual and medical equipment.

inspHire has been providing its software solutions to the rental industry for a number of years and operates in Europe, North America and Africa, supporting over 1200 companies in 30+ countries. It is part of Kerridge Commercial Systems Group, who provides software to 15,000 customers worldwide, offering end to end ERP solutions including rental, supply chain management, financial management, CRM, warehouse management, transport management, business intelligence and ePOS solutions for the distribution and manufacturing markets.

We are delighted to announce our 2019 customer conference on Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd May at The De Vere Cotswold Water Park.

The event will be packed with presentations on the latest innovations with hints and tips on using our products and value-added products, as well as two guest speakers!

There will also be a networking dinner on the evening of Day 1, open to all attendees with plenty of opportunities to socialise and network with peers from your industry.

This enables standard word searches to utilise this search method. For example, typing ‘Brik’ would also return ‘Brick’ , typing ‘Smyth’ would return ‘Smith’, etc. It is possible to set default settings for the search at the system level or for individual searches allowing different searches to behave differently. The settings can be used to select whether the search uses fuzzy logic or soundex, neither or both. There are also settings to determine the “fuzziness” of the search as well as the ordering of the results.

“Vecta is usually the first thing my team look at in the morning. We all use it on a daily basis and invariably I have it running in the background all the time.”

Graham Knight, Operations Director – South, FPS

How does a leading national wholesale distribution business like FPS use its business systems to stay ahead of the competition?

Vecta for K8 integrated sales analysis and CRM, helps manage customer relationships by uniquely combining world-class sales intelligence with up to date transactional data from a highly sophisticated, wholesale distribution solution. It’s fully mobile, cloud based and accessible 24/7 from desktop, tablet or smartphone.

Kerridge CS is pleased to provide MTD compliant software. Here is why K8 is the perfect solution for your business.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

James Mitchell has joined Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) as Managing Director - UK and Ireland. With a strong background in global business management as well as technical credentials in the software industry, James’ recent roles include senior management positions within CDK, a global supplier of IT solutions for the automotive retail industry.

James’ appointment follows a period of strong growth at KCS, both organic and through acquisition, and will allow CEO Ian Bendelow to focus on the future growth strategy of the KCS group. As managing director of KCS in the UK and Ireland, James will report to Ian Bendelow – alongside the managing directors of the KCS businesses in North America, South Africa and the Netherlands.

James said, “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead a company that has such a strong portfolio of products which enable our customers to be market leaders in their industries. KCS’ strong customer partnership and heritage shows the company has been doing the right things over the years. I also value the commitment and backing we have from our investors, our executives’ clear vision as industry leaders for the future and the investments the company makes in innovating global products for the benefit of the entire customer base.”

“I estimate the system has made the business 50% more efficient than it was before. Invoicing used to take me two or three weeks, now it’s done in less than a day. To me that time saved is priceless.”

Ian Taylor, Taylor & Sons

Ian Taylor’s early career was the perfect education for setting up his own timber merchant business in 2012. Working for a timber importer and processor on the Isle of Dogs he was immersed in the logistics of how timber came in to the UK from Poland, Canada and South America, as well as the machining process. His next job with a timber merchant taught him another aspect of the industry as well as providing valuable product knowledge about sheet and insulation materials.

Before moving into his current premises, Ian ran Taylor & Sons from home and stored his timber in a range of rented farm buildings and at the local cricket club. “In the early days my sons used to help me load up deliveries for the next morning,” he remembered. “In the evenings we could be seen walking the lengths of timber across the pitch as we weren’t allowed to drive the lorry over the grass near the club!”

“I would always recommend K8 LV, as I have always had a very positive experience when using it. The support team is brilliant too and has helped me to support my customers when they want data supplied in a certain format or if I need to create a particularly complicated report. They’re nice people to talk to too – and that counts for a lot!”

Bethen Darby, Director, Planglow

Planglow was an early adopter of K8 LV and started using the software in 2005. Before that the team used a DOS based system for accounting. Director, Bethen Darby, realised she needed a more sophisticated solution that would integrate accounts with sales information and would give her visibility of sales history and available stock. She chose K8 LV because she believed Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) would deliver high quality support and a personal service – a view she still holds to this day and which is now borne out of personal experience.

We are delighted to announce that Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has been ranked No. 98 in the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200.

The league table ranks the top 200 of Britain’s mid-market private companies in order of fastest growing overseas sales. The league table is produced by Fast Track the Oxford firm that researches and ranks Britain’s top performing private companies.

When surveying the companies Fast Track found leading exporters have quietly secured overseas orders at a record rate almost double that achieved two years ago.

Private mid-market companies grew their international sales by an average of 31% a year for their past two years. Combined profits were £2.3bn, a 77% rise on the 2017 cohort.

This accelerations in sales is in part due to the fall in the pound. Yet it also reflects the strong demand for British goods and services.

Europe is a key market for the majority of the companies (86%) followed by North America (64%) and Asia (37%).

The nine strategic acquisitions KCS made in Europe, the US and South Africa were obviously instrumental in our international sales reaching £30.5m in 2018.

The full league table was published as a ten-page supplement within the business section of The Sunday Times on the 10th February 2019, in print, in the digital edition, and on the Fast Track website:

www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/kerridge-commercial-systems-2/

Reproduced by permission. Copyright The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200

With changes coming into force relating to the way VAT registered businesses have to file their VAT for periods including and beyond 1st April 2019, Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has developed a series of software changes within their K8 solution allowing merchants to submit their VAT return directly from their ERP system - in line with these new regulations.

The new ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ requirements stipulate that VAT registered businesses with taxable turnover above the VAT registration threshold must keep records in digital form and file their VAT returns using software.

“We could see K8 was a modern, flexible and robust system that could cope with the demands of our industry.”

David Dunbavand, Programme Director, Primaflow F & P

The UK’s largest plumbing and heating wholesaler, Primaflow F & P, has implemented K8 ERP software across its three regional distribution centres, five regional sales offices and extended trans-shipment network, from which goods are delivered directly to independent merchant customers using the company’s own fleet of vehicles.

Kerridge Commercial Systems, provider of integrated software solutions for manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, have today announced that Electronic Data Processing Limited (EDP) has been rebranded as Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS).

Over four decades of steady growth and diversification, KCS has acquired a number of companies each trading with a different name. With that in mind and after much research and consideration, KCS decided to reduce the complexity of the brand by incorporating each of the new companies within the KCS name, now incorporating and renaming EDP.

Pete Clegg, Sales Account Manager said of the rebrand: “We have grown from a business with sixty people to an organisation with more than 850 and are now part of a strong global brand. The EDP team have worked within very similar markets to our new KCS colleagues for many years now. It is a great opportunity to combine our industry knowledge and expertise to continue to service our customers old and new with innovative, market leading solutions with a strong unified company name.”

Chris Owen, Chief Support Officer at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains some of the methods that IT support teams use to solve your technological problems.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

Recognising that MTD comes into force for VAT periods starting on or after 1st April 2019, Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has a series of changes planned which will enable your business to submit your VAT Return directly from the application suite. A new desktop application will enable you to integrate directly with HMRC via the published API. Once the VAT Return has been completed within K8, it will be made available to the new program for onwards transmission.

“We wanted to reduce the paper trail involved in our business and the system has allowed us to utilise scanning throughout all our processes and barcode everything as it goods in.”

Patrick Finigan. Director, Sarnia Foods

Sarnia Foods develops and manufactures food products for a variety of brands that, for whatever reason, are unable to take their own ideas forward into manufacturing. This allows their clients to concentrate on sales and marketing while the Sarnia team source packaging and ingredients and manage stock, production, packing and shipping. Through a direct link to some of its clients’ websites, the Sarnia team can take orders directly.

Shopping cart abandonment can lead to major concerns for online businesses, especially when they experience them in high levels. Considering the fact that at least 50% of all carts are abandoned during the online shopping cycle, it is important that online merchants do everything in their power to ensure that customers continue with their shopping process, and complete the purchase.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

AGP Business Software, supplier of ERP software for various industries, will continue under the flag of Kerridge Commercial Systems, a supplier of advanced, fully integrated business solutions for companies active in the wholesale, rental, projects and installation industries.

The rebranding is the next step after the acquisition of AGP by Kerridge Commercial Systems in January 2018.

AGP Business Software has been working since 1977 to automate and optimize business processes by means of trade, installation, project and rental software. The company has a branch in Capelle aan den IJssel and the head office is in Veghel. Kerridge Commercial Systems is located in Sliedrecht. After the rebranding, the three locations will officially continue as one company and one team with a portfolio of multiple solutions for the trading and distribution, rental, projects and installation sectors.

Broader portfolio of solutions

The current product portfolio of AGP Business Software will remain prominently available within the market. Danny Scheffers, Unit Manager at AGP Business Software at Capelle aan den IJssel: "Our location in Capelle aan den IJssel will continue to focus on solutions specifically aimed at the installation sector. The service and working method also remain the same. However, the rebranding offers opportunities to provide customers with an even broader portfolio of solutions. In addition, we are in the process of updating our current solutions package to support customers even better. "

Rutger Scherpenhuysen, Sales Manager at AGP Business Software Veghel: "With the acquisition of AGP by Kerridge Commercial Systems, we are part of a strong global organization. We have grown from an organization with sixty people to an organization with more than 850 employees. That meant a rapid acceleration in innovation in technology and IT solutions. We can now anticipate the wishes of customers and the market even faster. Thanks to the expansion of our available expertise and our product portfolio, we are also able to serve customers even better. We look forward to continuing with our team under the name Kerridge Commercial Systems. "

Do you feel valued, secure and all swotted up about your prospective ERP solution? If you still feel like you need to get some answers from your supplier, you’re in luck. Kerridge CS has come up with seven essential questions that you need to get the answers to before you invest in Enterprise Resource Planning software.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

Tony Pey, Head of Product Marketing, examines how to really achieve digital transformation, by using IT to change your business’s culture and behavior.

You process sales transactions on your ERP system. You have a website. Your customers can trade with you over the internet. You market your business on various social media platforms.

Does this mean you can sit back and bask in the belief that you have ‘digitally transformed’ your business? Unfortunately not. The briefest of research into this complex subject and its definition will show you that ‘digital transformation’ is all about implementing technology to change the culture and behaviours within a business - rather than just using it to streamline existing processes.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

As we have discussed in great detail on our blog, the Internet of Things (IoT) has changed how manufacturers operate. While the move is undoubtedly positive, offering numerous benefits, the increased use of connected devices has made manufacturers more vulnerable to cyberattack.

Here are two key considerations to make when it comes to protecting your IoT devices against cyberattacks:

To find out more, read the full blog post.

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), a leading supplier of software to wholesalers, merchants and other distributive businesses, has acquired InspHire and Current-RMS. InspHire is a premium supplier of software to European, US and Australian-based companies that rent heavy plant and construction vehicles. Current-RMS supplies cloud based, fully integrated rental management solutions to the AV, production and event industries.

Solutions provided by UK-based KCS are used by 15,000 companies worldwide and include fully integrated ERP systems comprising supply chain management, financial accounting, CRM, warehouse and transport management, eCommerce, ePOS and business intelligence. Both acquisitions will allow KCS to strengthen its presence in the hire industry and to offer additional functionality to its UK and global customer base. The InspHire and Current-RMS teams have welcomed the acquisitions, as KCS will be investing in the development of their products, as well as maintaining and supporting them in the future. A further key benefit for InspHire is the support KCS will provide around its expansion in the US, an important market for function-rich hire software.

Ian Bendelow, CEO of KCS said, “The acquisitions of InspHire and Current-RMS deliver a great opportunity for us to strengthen our presence in the hire software market in the UK, as well as developing further global opportunities in this sector. They are both very high quality businesses with offerings that are complementary to our own. We’re looking forward to working with their employees and to welcoming them to the KCS family.”

InspHire and Current-RMS will operate as independent business units within KCS, under their existing management teams. Working alongside their KCS counterparts, they will be making operational improvements to benefit existing and future customers.

“It’s a system that just keeps giving - and we’re learning more all the time.”

Mandy Humm, Financial Controller, Raven Roofing Supplies

The relationship between Raven Roofing Supplies and Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) goes back to 2004 when the company started to use an early KCS trading system alongside its accountancy package.

Five years later, during which time Raven opened three new branches, director Mark Applebee said, “I’m in no doubt that the results of the past five years have been partly attributable to how well we have made use of the system and our partnership with KCS.”

There has been much speculation around what 2018 will bring for manufacturers. From the continuation of 2017’s trends to wild guesses. In reality, the people who are best placed to make these predictions are those who know the industry best; you — the manufacturer.

Earlier this year, EEF published the EEF Executive Survey. In it, manufacturers share their expectations for the next 12 months, highlighting what they believe will be their strongest areas of opportunity and the challenges they will face along the way.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

“The way you care for customers is evolving, with traditional methods being replaced by modern techniques and tools.”

Chris Owen, Chief Support Officer, Kerridge Commercial Systems

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has appointed Chris Owen in the new role of Chief Support Officer. Chris joins from JDA Software, a multinational company where, as Head of Global Delivery in Customer Success, he was directly responsible for the provision of Customer Services (Support & Cloud) to all of JDA’s customers globally.

At KCS, Chris’s goal is to create a leading support organisation by taking current best practices from industry and applying them to what is already a good support structure. He said, “The way you care for customers is evolving, with traditional methods being replaced by modern techniques and tools. For example, I’ll be looking to develop a knowledge base where customers with more common problems can self serve on a 24/7 basis rather than waiting until a support analyst becomes available in office hours. Where further work is required we’ll be working more effectively to identify what we need to do to provide immediate help, as well as what we can do long term to prevent a problem happening again.”

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) is pleased to announce the acquisition of EDP, a company listed on The London Stock Exchange. EDP supplies sales analytics & CRM and ERP software, such as Vecta and Quantum, to merchants and other distributors. The K8 ERP solution, developed by KCS, is widely used in similar markets, where the company has over 40 years of experience and is a recognised thought leader in trading and management technology. Clearly the acquisition is a good fit for both businesses.

During the past eight years KCS has grown rapidly, both organically and through the acquisition of a number of businesses, to extend its geographical reach, add product capability and extend into adjacent vertical markets. The company now serves over 10,000 customers across Europe, South Africa and the United States.

By integrating the EDP business with KCS, all customers will be offered a more extensive product suite. KCS will also offer the Vecta CRM/BI product to its wider global customer base as a stand-alone product, as well as integrating it as a module within some of the KCS products. KCS will continue to service and support customers using EDP’s Quantum, Merchant, Charisma, Esprit and The Business Programme products. Over time, KCS will offer alternative products (such as its core K8 ERP system) to EDP customers, as potential longer-term solutions.

Commenting on the acquisition, Ian Bendelow, Chief Executive Officer of KCS said, “The acquisition of EDP is a great opportunity to accelerate our strategy. It brings us greater presence in the UK and an increased platform for growth in our traditional markets. EDP is a high quality business with customer offerings that are highly complementary to KCS. We welcome EDP employees to the group and look forward to working with them.”

Sir Michael Heller, Non-Executive Chairman of EDP said, “The EDP and KCS businesses have been good competitors for many years, addressing the needs of customers in the same vertical markets. Accordingly the EDP directors believe that KCS’ activities provide a strong fit with those of EDP and that KCS is an appropriate partner to continue the development of the EDP business. The additional resources that KCS will bring will mean that it is well positioned and resourced to support EDP and the future growth of the EDP business.”

Monitoring business performance on the basis of timely and accurate information is a key priority for decision-makers in the fast-moving distributive trades.

K8 Business Intelligence gives individuals or departments access to secure, centralised data at the precise level they need to perform their roles effectively.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

It seems like only yesterday we published our review of the Annual Manufacturing Report 2017. Since then, manufacturing has been a whirlwind of data, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Brexit uncertainty — and before you’ve had time to think, 2018’s edition of the report has landed on your desk.

In this blog post, we present you with a rundown of the biggest talking points from this year’s release for some easy lunchtime reading.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

“We are very excited to make this announcement. As we continue to grow as a group, it makes sense to have our people and products under one brand name.”

Dawn Aldwinckle, UK Sales Director - New Business, Kerridge Commercial Systems

1 August 2018 – Kerridge Commercial Systems, provider of integrated software solutions for manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, announced today that Lakeview has been rebranded as Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS).

Over the last four decades of steady growth, KCS has acquired several companies each coming with a different name, which has become somewhat complex to navigate. Based on much research and discussion KCS, has decided to reduce the complexity of their brand by renaming Lakeview.

“We are very excited to make this announcement,” explained Dawn Aldwinckle, UK Sales Director. “As we continue to grow as a group, it makes sense to have our people and products under one brand name. The Kerridge Commercial Systems brand reflects our commitment to remain at the forefront of technology for our manufacturing, wholesale and distribution customers globally. We will continue to focus on innovating and delivering market-leading ERP solutions – only now we are reflecting this with a strong, unified company name.”

UK headquartered KCS already provides software to 15,000 customers worldwide, offering end to end ERP solutions including Supply Chain Management, Financial Management, CRM, Warehouse Management, Business Intelligence, ePOS, and more, specifically for the distribution, manufacturing and wholesale markets. The rebrand supports the company’s strategy of continued growth and follows five acquisitions during the last 24 months in the UK, USA, South Africa and the Netherlands.

“I am honored to have been approached for the position of Managing Director Benelux and I look forward to contributing to the further growth of Kerridge Commercial Systems in the Benelux.”

Fred Loos, Managing Director Benelux, Kerridge Commercial Systems

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), supplier of advanced, fully integrated business solutions for trading companies, wholesale and distribution, has appointed Fred Loos as Managing Director Benelux. He brings 34 years of experience in IT and financial-logistical systems and takes over the role of Ian Bendelow, CEO of the KCS Group. In his role, Fred will manage the daily operations of both Kerridge Commercial Systems in Sliedrecht and the recently acquired AGP Software in Veghel and Capelle aan den IJssel. He also plays an important role in uniting both companies and optimizing cooperation.

Prior to joining Kerridge Commercial Systems, Fred worked as General Manager at an international software company, where he was responsible for the SME market in the Netherlands and Belgium. During his career he gained extensive experience in the direction of IT and management, through various management positions and training courses.

“Our turn over has grown from £3m to £10m in just six years. K8 is supporting that growth because it’s helping us to buy stock in the right quantities and to analyse our sales activities like never before.”

Jamie Dawson, Bonus Electrical

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS)’ K8 software has delivered cost and time savings across every area of business for Hull-based wholesaler Bonus Electrical. A key element of the software is its ability to provide the business intelligence that the management team needed, enabling them to analyse sales in more depth.

Bonus’ Jamie Dawson said, “The integrated POD system is invaluable and helps us deal with queries quickly and more efficiently. Some of our customers ask for a lot of PODs and I often used to waste time wading through files and scanning paper copies for emailing. Now, I just retrieve them from the system by entering the order number. The time this has saved us is incredible.”

“We’re looking forward to increased efficiencies such as integrating order processes with our suppliers and faster, easier price maintenance.”

Euan Mead, Operations Manager, Reeds Wantage

Growing business, Reeds Wantage, has chosen an ERP solution from Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) to support its future growth and deliver efficiencies to the business.

Reeds was founded in 1972 as a builders’ merchant and ironmongers. It gradually transitioned away from supplying heavyside materials to focusing on paint, tools and hardware, and today is known primarily as a painting and decorating merchant.

“We wanted a system that allows some flexibility over what level of discount can be given so we can manage our margin better and increase profitability.”

Eoin O’Connor, Managing Director, Tadhg O’Connor Ltd

Limerick based Tadhg O’Connor Ltd, one of the larger stores in the Topline group, is about to implement a new ERP system provided by Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS). The family owned business operates two builders’ merchant branches and a furniture store.

Business is split 50/50 between trade and retail customers and there are more than 600 trade account customers.

Managing Director, Eoin O’Connor said, “We’re successful because our staff offer excellent service and our customers know they can rely on us having the right stock delivered in a timely fashion in perfect condition and at good value.”

What would you like your business to achieve in the next 12 months? Perhaps you know what you want to achieve, but simply don’t know how to get there.

If you’re a manufacturer who wants to centralise data, drive efficiencies and ultimately improve business performance in 2018, the answer could lie in your manufacturing ERP software. Through reviewing Panorama’s recent report on ERP Systems and Enterprise Software, we’ll demonstrate how effective the right ERP system can be in overcoming your operational challenges.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

We are delighted to announce that Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has been ranked No. 37 in The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200, a league table that ranks the top 200 of Britain’s mid-market private companies in order of fastest growing overseas sales.

The league table is produced by Fast Track, the Oxford firm that researches and ranks Britain’s top performing private companies. When surveying the companies, Fast Track also found that the US is the most popular country for overseas sales, with 118 of the 200 companies citing it as a major market. It is also the top choice for future growth, with more than half the firms (107) planning to expand there.

Fast Track also believed the league table shows the resilience of Britain’s mid-market exporters. Despite the uncertainty created by the on-going Brexit negotiations, their combined international sales have grown by an average of 62% a year over the last two years to a total of £10.1bn, the highest growth rate measured in the survey since 2013.

The Sunday Times reported that it was another sign of confidence that 60 of the listed companies had chosen to acquire overseas businesses to help accelerate their growth – up from 46 last year. The six strategic acquisitions KCS made recently in Europe, the US and South Africa were obviously instrumental in our international sales reaching £24m in 2017.

The full league table was published as an eight-page supplement with the business section of The Sunday Times on 10 June, both in print and in the digital edition and on: www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/kerridge-commercial-systems/

“We now have better insight into stock, sales and the financial handling of the sales orders. For example, with the help of a few keyboard shortcuts the average takeaway order has now become a lot easier; ten enters less are needed for the same process.”

Rob Kamp, Kuipers BMH

Kuipers BMH (Building materials and stone) is one of few remaining independent wholesalers of building materials in the northern part of the Netherlands. Not affiliated with a specific brand or a specific buying organisation, but simply operating from one’s own extensive experience and knowledge in this industry.

Two linked software applications, an accounting software system and an order processing application, had to make way for K8 Babbage of Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS). Kuipers had now been working with the ERP solutions of KCS for almost a year.

Mark Steggall, Head of Product Management at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains the benefits of using a computer system with a flexible, integrated forecasting and purchasing module.

“Having just enough stock to meet customer demand is a challenge many companies feel can’t be met without human intervention. Today, fortunately, there are flexible ERP systems that can be configured to forecast and purchase automatically in the way you like to do it – but with options to interfere when you need to!”

To find out more, read the full blog post.

“In terms of a return on our investment, what we pay for K8 is offset by our increased profitability through being able to keep a better track on our margins, our increased turnover and the time the system saves us. We all find it quick and easy to use – for example our monthly invoicing now takes one day instead of seven!”

Rhys Davey, General Manager, John Davey

At the end of 2013, John Davey, a third generation family owned Welsh builders’ merchant, upgraded from a manual invoicing system to ERP software from Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS).

A year later, General Manager, Rhys Davey, saw that margin and turnover had both increased significantly. He remembered, “Once we had a full year of history within our K8 solution we could see the scope of how much the software had helped us. Our turnover had risen from £1.1m to £1.5m and we were showing an increase of 2% in our gross margin. Using a manual system I think it had been easy to make mistakes in calculations plus we were always missing opportunities to increase our margin. I think the improvements were largely down to being able to work more accurately.”

Businesses are never without their challenges — and strategizing to overcome them is what makes business so exciting. Some of these challenges are present across-sectors, while others are more niche to a particular industry.

In this blog post, I will discuss the challenges big and small that operational directors in manufacturing are facing, and how the right ERP software solution can help overcome them.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

With many facets to a project, you need to manage the multiple orders and quotations, the delivery schedule and agreed pricing terms and the financial performance against the overall project.

You don’t need to create a project as the job starts, you can create it in advance. Projects can be raised for existing customers, or for new business prospects. You can raise quotations and monitor the likelihood of success through regular updates of the project status. The project itself can be created with relevant detail such as project status, start and end dates. In addition, estimates may be added and actual performance monitored over the life of the project.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

“Some of our suppliers also use K8 software and recommended it to us. Other factors in our decision were the confidence we had in the future development of K8 and the knowledgeable team who demonstrated the product.”

Maggie Wilbor, Director, Site Supplies & Services

Fire protection equipment supplier, Site Supplies & Services, has decided to use a software solution from Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) to manage its Hertfordshire based operation.

Specialising in the supply of sprinklers, dry risers and other residential fire protection equipment, Site Supplies & Services operates alongside sister company, Peter’s Transport Ltd, which looks after its deliveries and collections on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis. Established in 2000, the company has a reputation for providing excellent customer service.

Sanjay Fatania, Financial Implementation Manager at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains what to look for in a trading system so credit-related problems can be quickly identified and valuable insight provided to your team about customer trading profiles, payment history and trends.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

3 April, 2018 – Kerridge Commercial Systems, provider of integrated software solutions for manufacturing, field service and distribution, announced today that Datawright has been rebranded as Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS).

Over the last four decades of steady growth and diversification, KCS has acquired several companies each coming with a different name, which has become somewhat complex to navigate. Based on much research and discussion KCS has decided to reduce the complexity of their brand by renaming Datawright.

“We are very excited to make this announcement,” explained Kevin Stalker, Software Director. “As we continue to grow as a group, it makes sense to have our people and products under one brand name. The Kerridge Commercial Systems brand reflects our commitment to remain at the forefront of technology for our manufacturing, field service and distribution customers globally. We will continue to focus on innovating and delivering market-leading ERP solutions – only now we are reflecting this with a strong, unified company name.”

UK headquartered KCS already provides software to 15,000 customers worldwide, offering end to end ERP solutions including Supply Chain Management, Financial Management, CRM, Warehouse Management, Business Intelligence, ePOS, and more, specifically for the distribution, manufacturing and field service markets. The rebrand supports the company’s strategy of continued growth and follows five acquisitions during the last 24 months in the UK, USA, South Africa and the Netherlands.

The rebrand does not involve any changes to existing products. KCS believes that providing all of their services under one powerful brand will make them a stronger partner to their customers, enabling them to provide even more value to their own customers.

“The rebrand will have minimal effect on our customers. It’s very much business as usual. We will, of course, continue to develop our products and execute projects with the same level of excellence and professionalism our customers have come to expect. Going forward our strategy, values and vision remain unchanged.” Kevin Stalker, Software Director.

As the company transitions to the name KCS, they would like to thank their loyal customers for their continued support. This is an exciting evolution for the company. KCS look forward to growing their product offering globally, and are counting on the continued support of their customers.

About Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS)

KCS provides advanced, fully integrated business systems, installation and support services for the manufacturing, field service and distributive markets. The company has over 40 years of extensive knowledge and experience of working with manufacturers, field service engineers and distributors across many sectors. The company’s class leading solutions are functionally rich and highly flexible.

The KCS product solution set has a track record of delivering wide ranging benefits including greater operational efficiency and cost savings, resource and asset utilisation, together with real-time information for management decision making.

Tony Pey, Head of Product Marketing at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains how using a computer system with integrated ePOD (electronic point of delivery) as part of its delivery management solution will enable you to manage every aspect of the delivery cycle.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

Mark Steggall, Head of Product Management at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains how using a modern computer system can keep your suppliers on their toes and ensure your customer service remains outstanding.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

January 2018 - Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), a market-leading global provider of software solutions to the retail, wholesale, merchant and distribution markets, has reached an agreement to acquire AGP, based in Veghel, the Netherlands.

UK headquartered KCS already provides software to 14,000 customers worldwide, offering end to end ERP solutions including Supply Chain Management, Quote to Cash, Financial Management, CRM, Warehouse Management, Transport Management, Business Intelligence, ePOS and more, specifically for the wholesaler, distributor, retailer and merchant sectors. The acquisition supports the company’s strategy of continued growth and follows five other acquisitions during the last 24 months, including 2 in the USA, 2 in South Africa and 1 in the UK.

Like Kerridge Commercial Systems, AGP has been delivering wholesale ERP Solutions for more than 40 years, as well as solutions for hire, projects and the installation industry. The company’s suite of products makes them a leader in the Wholesale ERP market in the Netherlands.

AGP will continue to maintain and support its existing solutions, including Trade, Rent, Projects and Installware. In time they will introduce new benefits to their customers from the KCS portfolio such as advanced e-commerce and Cloud services, along with an optional upgrade path to the established suite of KCS services and products. To further support existing customers of its K8 ERP system, KCS will look at integrating some of the solutions from the AGP suite.

Ian Bendelow, KCS Group CEO, said, “As a key strategic acquisition in the Benelux, this further strengthens our presence on the European continent, and expands our service capabilities and product offerings. As we further our platform for growth, AGP affirms and aligns with our on-going business strategy of focusing on the needs of merchants, wholesalers, retailers and distributors.

Our customers will benefit from an even stronger Netherlands based team to support our customers’ needs.

The KCS Group will continue to build organically with its industry focused solutions and customer focused service, constantly attracting more customers and helping existing customers to succeed and grow. We will add further strategic acquisitions to enhance our geographical presence and capability for our growing customers.

Michiel Bakker, Director of Operations - KCS Benelux added: ‘Combining the two companies strengthens our offering of ERP Solutions and Cloud Services in the same verticals, allowing us to grow even further in the Benelux. The ERP solutions complement each other and they secure a place in the market from niche customers to large global enterprises.’

“Turnover has doubled in the seven months since K8 was implemented and, although I can’t put that all down to K8, there’s no way we could have managed the current level of business using the old system.”

Darren House, General Manager, Trading Depot

Trading Depot, the online trading sister company to Grant & Stone, offers more than 48,000 product lines to a loyal and growing customer base who maintain its ‘excellent’ rating on Trustpilot, the online review community. The company supplies plumbing and electrical products, sanitaryware, flooring, PVC windows and doors, some heavyside materials such as paving and more than 30,000 tools.

“We’re seeing huge growth,” said Trading Depot General Manager Darren House. “While around 70% of our customers are homeowners, the remaining 30% are tradesmen who are happier shopping in an online environment today than they were 10 years ago. Although we don’t offer trade accounts, we offer a choice to builders who are looking for a keener price and are happy to wait a day or two for their delivery. We also offer a click and collect service from our warehouse. I like to think there’s a traditional merchant feel about the business as we offer great customer service including technical support over the phone at pre-purchase stage.”

Check out the Trading Depot website.

A lunch was held last week to celebrate the long-term relationship between Hungerford-based Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) and Newbury College.

Over the last 15 years, KCS has provided IT equipment to the college, supported careers events and welcomed students on work placements. CEO of Kerridge Commercial Systems, Ian Bendelow, and College Principal and CEO, Dr Anne Murdoch, attended the lunch along with other members of college staff and KCS employees.

Ian Bendelow said, “As a leading software provider we recognise the great variety and quality of career opportunities our industry offers to students of IT. This is why we are delighted to support the college’s IT curriculum.”

Several students have been employed by KCS following the completion of their IT course at Newbury College. Ex-student, Polly Theobald, who also attended the lunch, now works at KCS as a trainee software engineer.

Mr Bendelow added, “Our links with the community are very important to us and we’re in the process of strengthening existing relationships – as well as developing new ones - with local schools and other educational establishments. We’re in the unique position of being able to provide very relevant support to students considering a future in the world of IT, and I want KCS to have the opportunity to encourage as many of them as possible.”

KCS develops, provides and supports fully integrated trading and business management software solutions for distributive companies such as merchants, wholesalers and retailers.

It doesn’t seem all that long ago when K8 was the primary software platform that Kerridge Commercial Systems’ (KCS) customers used to run their businesses. For the most part, there were rather fewer third party software products to consider; the need for their integration was more the exception than the rule. But as we now know, the internet, ecommerce solutions and mobile technologies would change that position significantly, with opportunity and benefit potential on a scale that could have barely been imagined a few years back.

To find out more, read the full blog post.

One of the North East’s longest-established firms has invested in K8 Manufacturing ERP software from Kerridge Commercial Systems.

Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) are pleased to announce that Wm Coulthard & Co have decided to partner with them to rollout K8 Manufacturing throughout their business.

Wm Coulthard, founded in 1888, provides extensive engineering and manufacturing excellence in a wide range of products. The business has grown consistently during the last 50 years and now have enviable experience in supplying thousands of bespoke lubrication and lube oil systems in every type of environment around the world.

An important element of Wm Coulthard’s ERP search was a software system to fit not only their requirements of today, but also their future as they grow. A key requirement for the company was a full manufacturing suite to provide full visibility of their manufacturing processes. Wm Coulthard also wanted a user-friendly system that would allow them total control over their manufacturing profit margins.

The lubrication systems that Wm Coulthard design are universally heralded for their reliability, high quality and longevity; the company wanted an ERP system to match. After reviewing several systems, Wm Coulthard decided that the comprehensive integrated functionality offered by K8 Manufacturing would be a platform for the future.

The K8 system will bring wide-ranging benefits and help to ensure Wm Coulthard’s projected growth.

About WM Coulthard & Co

Founded in 1888 Wm Coulthard design and manufacture bespoke industrial lubrication systems for a wide variety of customers. The company is underpinned by an ethos of continual improvement and quality.

Based in the North of England, the company operates from a recently purpose built manufacturing facility in Carlisle, Cumbria (occupied since January 2011); with a second manufacturing site opened during 2013 in Cramlington, Northumberland.

To find out more about Wm Coulthard & Co visit their website: http://wmcoulthard.com/