The origins of Hunwick Engineering can be traced over the past 100 years and the business has been an integral part of British engineering, helping to keep the industry moving. They work to transform complex engineering needs for intricate fabrication, fast turnaround requirements, and specialist welding for different project specifications. They are an off-grid / large-scale engineering facility in the UK and carbon neutral (as they are powered completely by green energy which is produced on site). They needed an agile solution that would synthesise their approach and provide transparency across their business.
During a group restructure the Hunwick Engineering business was reborn as a joint venture and set about re-establishing itself in the market. Darren Hills, Group Finance Director at Hunwick Engineering, had this to say: “‘When we started to look for a software, we were using spreadsheets. The anticipated growth of the business asked for more technology”. With more of the world digitising all the time, they made a practical decision to embrace technology. Not only does it future-proof their business, but it also helps to keep manufacturers ahead of the competition (and ensures compliance) As they searched the market for a suitable solution, they discovered Business Cloud Essentials. Darren acknowledges that its development and origins struck a chord with their organisation’s structure: “‘The software was designed by those with an accounting and manufacturing background. This made a difference during our decision-making process as it added a sense of security that Advanced could understand our market, and adequately accommodate the company’s demands”. As Hunwick Engineering looked to expand, Darren recognised the budding potential of BCE: “The software was growing and so were we, so we knew it would fit quite well”.
Business Cloud Essentials unifies all elements of a business, allowing for comprehensive control over finances, operations, production, payroll, contacts and more. It was designed to enable manufacturers to grow, as it bridges the gap between the factory floor and the office. With all business functions being connected, the data within the system is highly accurate and up to date (which makes its reporting capabilities even more powerful). Darren states: “I really like the performance reporting tool. We use it frequently, and the consistent process in the reporting is great. The visuals on the report make everything very clear and transparent, which is exactly what we were looking for”.
By adopting Business Cloud Essentials, Hunwick Engineering can now pay via a subscription model, which allows them to pay a monthly fee with no hidden surprises. This fee includes any additional support they may need, and any updates that are applied to the system going forward. Darren comments: “It was a big selling points as you don’t have to pay more for updates! As the latest version rolls out, you don’t need to pay extra money to access any new functionality, which was important to us.” The monthly fees also include the hands-on assistance we provide to ensure all of our customers are fully supported. Darren adds: “We’ve been very fortunate with the amount of support Advanced have provided. Both the Customer Success Manager and the Product Manager have given exceptional support and guidance, and the dedicated support team have resolved any of our issues.”
Mark Dewell, Managing Director at Advanced, commented: ““Business Cloud Essentials is a unique proposition for small manufacturers looking to grow and evolve, as the need to go digital becomes more pertinent. Business Cloud Essentials offers Hunwick Engineering the opportunity to fully integrate all business operations and meet changing customer expectations. We’re very happy to have them as a customer and look forward to further developing our relationship with them”.