Digital transformation in manufacturing: Astec’s cloud journey

What was the challenge?

“We have 17 subsidiary companies, which each previously operated on its own ERP system. With so many siloed systems, it was hard for us to gather customer data across the organization. We decided to centralize our business model, an initiative we call OneAstec, to better serve our customers. In order to do that, we required readily available data — supply chain, inventory and finance data — in one platform to help serve as the source of truth and inform better decision-making. This would give us more consistency and control in our reporting and standardize processes while helping us better understand the impact our decisions have on the business.”

Describe the solution delivered by the PwC community of solvers.

“Given the scale of this initiative, we needed a strategic advisor that could help us across all aspects of the transformation. PwC helped us evaluate our timeline and needs, weighing them against cloud technology capabilities and cost. We determined that Oracle Cloud was the solution to help us bring our vision to life and have started the journey to implement our OneAstec vision. Our global design and first plant was implemented in just 19 months. PwC’s role spanned beyond that of a system integrator. PwC brought industry knowledge and experience in enterprise resource planning, human capital management, customer experience, security and controls, and change management. PwC helped make sure that we have the appropriate organizational model in place to be successful.”

How does the solution blend the strengths of technology and people?

“We didn’t just implement a system — we are on a journey to transform our organization, which impacts our people, processes and technology. By consolidating under Oracle Cloud, we will have better visibility into our end-to-end supply chain and financial performance. We will be able to better manage supplier capacities and performance, use real-time manufacturing metrics in short-term decision-making, have an enterprise-view of inventory, and standardize our financial reporting and control processes.”

Where or how did innovation and unexpected ways of thinking come into play?

“The transformation of our business’s DNA requires a shift in thinking and adoption of change. Oracle Cloud is building trust across the organization as the source for standardized information and data visibility. That foundation can make future acquisition integrations easier. PwC’s team of industry specialists is helping us implement our strategy in a way that helps make our ideal state attainable and manageable in the long term. Our tech upgrade will have ripple-effect benefits, bringing new digital solutions that are critical for retaining and attracting talent.”