Manufacturing Consultant UK
Decide whether you need an MES, write requirements from the floor and keep the project honest from selection to go-live.
A manufacturing execution system, or MES, manages and records production on the shop floor in real time: work instructions, job progress, machine data, quality checks and traceability. It sits between the ERP, which plans the business, and the machines, which make the product.
An MES is valuable when you need live visibility, traceability or paperless execution. It is a poor first step when works orders, bills of materials, routings and stock records are unreliable, because it will expose that mess rather than fix it.
We are independent of software vendors. We assess whether you are ready, write requirements from your process, shortlist suppliers, script demos around your products and oversee delivery.
Understanding the layers makes selection far easier.
| Layer | Main job | Typical content |
|---|---|---|
| ERP and MRP | Plans the business | Orders, BOMs, stock, purchasing, costing, scheduling |
| MES | Runs and records production | Work instructions, job progress, quality checks, genealogy |
| Machine and sensor data | Reports what equipment is doing | Run state, cycle counts, alarms, process values |
ERP plans and accounts for the business: orders, materials, purchasing and cost. MES executes and records production on the floor in real time. They exchange data but do different jobs.
Not always. For many SMEs, accurate ERP or MRP data and simple digital capture at the line deliver most of the benefit first. An assessment shows whether an MES is justified.
It depends on scope, integration and data quality. Starting with stable processes and clean master data is the most reliable way to shorten it.
Yes. We define requirements, run a structured shortlist and demo process, and give an independent recommendation based on fit and total cost.
A short call will tell you whether to proceed, wait or choose a simpler option.
Manufacturing operations assessment and digitalisation for UK manufacturers. Led by a chartered engineer. Stabilise first, then automate.
UK-based. Serving manufacturers nationwide.
1 Greenlands Road