Builders Merchants



Customer: Reeds Wantage
Website: reedswantage.com
Gains and benefits
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.
Around two thirds of its customers are trade account holders, the remainder being retail. Reeds Wantage supplies all major paint brands as well as specialist products such as anti-graffiti and fire-retardant paints.
Buyer and Operations Manager at Reeds, Euan Mead, explained, “We started to look for new software around 18 months before choosing the KCS solution. We were using a basic accountancy package that was ‘creaking’ as our requirements grew. We needed something that would improve our efficiency, give us better business insights and, because we are looking to add an additional premise, with multi-location functionality.”
Euan looked at a broad range of options including combining separate accountancy, ePOS and stock management solutions. “This option had several drawbacks including limited functionality, the complexity involved in getting the solutions to talk to each other effectively and redundant functionality where there was an overlap,” he said. The Reeds team also considered more sophisticated solutions - from KCS and other providers – before making their choice.

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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
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