Sweetwater Supplies, a go-to resource for welding enthusiasts and professionals alike, was once bogged down by manual processes and outdated systems.
In the early days, things were decidedly analog. Invoices were handwritten, inventory a guessing game, and financials siloed in QuickBooks. This made it nearly impossible to get a clear picture of the business's health or identify growth opportunities. When Paul Beiler took over the business in 2005, he knew there had to be a better way and began looking for a system that could help him connect all the fragmented pieces. He specifically wanted a system that would create electronic invoices and track and catalogue his inventory.
In 2008, a welcome referral introduced Paul to the power of EBMS as an integrated ERP software.
“The reason we went with Koble is because we had trusted referrals, and we saw that they were a local, values-aligned company that we could be comfortable doing business with.”
With EBMS they are able to connect all their operational dots. They can manage their sales and inventory processes in the same system, giving them confidence that they know what they have in stock and where it is for each sale. And because the same system is also where they manage their financials, they have the total value that’s being held on the shelf, providing invaluable insights into profitability and cost control.
“We used to send out all of our invoices manually, but by switching to EBMS we’ve been able to automate the process, and it’s saved us a lot of time. When it comes to inventory, we track the location of each product in EBMS, knowing where its stocked in the showroom and in the warehouse. That’s been really helpful to keep better track of inventory and keep it all organized.” – David Showalter, General Manager
Gaining that insight has been crucial for them to better serve their customers and take on the next stages of growth in their business. The proof is in the numbers: since 2008 Sweetwater Supplies has grown their revenue 2500%.
In the midst of that growth, they’ve also made two location moves, hired additional employees, purchased new delivery trucks, and made a few other substantial changes to the business. And still, they show no signs of slowing down. They're looking at starting online sales and are discussing the potential of a second location. Their future might even include an in-house gas fill plant.
Paul and his team are excited for what's next, and we’re proud to partner with a company like Sweetwater that is so dedicated to quality output and an excellent customer experience.
Kelsey Stout is the Head of HR & Marketing at Koble. She loves helping people build strong and lasting businesses with meaningful work, the right systems in place, and a strong approach to culture. When not telling Koble stories, Kelsey can be found writing children's fiction, spending time with family, or playing the guitar (poorly but enthusiastically).
