Success Story: Schwab’s Screw Machine

Schwab's Screw Machine, Lapwai, Idaho

Schwab’s Screw Machine, located outside Lapwai, Idaho on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, is a manufacturer of CNC and screw machine parts. They are a small, family-owned job shop that manufactures parts per their customer’s specifications. The company was established in 1984 and incorporated in 1986.

Since 1987, SME Software, Inc. has been solving the pains of small to midsized manufacturers by pro

Some Parts Produced by Schwab's Screw Machine

viding the best in manufacturing management software. SMARTer Manager is a complete manufacturing software solution with everything needed to measure and manage every aspect of the manufacturing business, from estimate creation to posting the general ledger and everything in between.

Before SMARTer Manager, Schwab’s Screw Machine faced several challenges. Without accurate data, job costing was a guessing game. Without accurate tracking, keeping track of where jobs were in the system became a nightmare. With the company’s business growing by leaps and bounds, Schwab’s Screw Machine turned to software to keep data accurate and help with the day to day operations, beginning with software better suited for retail.

A bandsaw at Schwab's Screw Machine

In 1999 it was time to make the switch to manufacturing management software, and after researching several software programs, Smart Manager was selected to replace the old software and carry Schwab’s Screw Machine into the future. In March, 2010, Schwab’s Screw Machine upgraded to SMARTer Manager manufacturing management software.

To address the challenges faced by Schwab’s Screw Machine, the SME Software team showed Schwab’s employees how to accurately track parts and job costs by implementing their business processes in SMARTer Manager, and keep a better handle on inventory. Floor managers could track jobs without leaving their offices, giving them more time for day to day operations. The team at Schwab’s found great value in the fact that production orders, job costing, inventory and accounting were fully integrated within one system specifically designed for manufacturing. They were also pleasantly surprised to learn that the program was much easier to use than they expected. Employees are able to be quickly trained to use the portions of the program that pertain to their jobs.

SMARTer Manager has improved all aspects of business at Schwab’s Screw Machine. It has allowed the company to grow rapidly by condensing the time needed for data entry, and allowing them to do more with fewer people. By reducing the number of employees needed to handle office tasks, the software was able to pay for itself within a year. In addition, sales have increased and the company is now able to carry a larger customer base.

Hardinge Mill at Schwab's Screw Machine

Instead of having to find the answers and call their customers back, Schwab’s is able to answer questions with a few clicks of a mouse. Thanks to information on the production orders, over-runs of product are few and far between, which keeps production costs low and has simplified operations. SMARTer Manager will definitely be a part of Schwab’s Screw Machine’s plans for the future, whatever it may hold.

Visit Schwab’s Screw Machine online at www.schwabssm.com