GP Reeves is a global supplier of custom fluid dispensing equipment with an established reputation for precision and quality. GP Reeves serves customers across challenging industries like aerospace, automotive, and medical manufacturing. When customer demands increased, GP Reeves struggled to scale their existing processes as an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturer. The engineering team remained bogged down with work that was duplicated across systems, inefficient assembly sequencing, bill of material (BOM) errors, and delivery delays.
To help solve their growth issues, GP Reeves initially tried implementing a traditional Enterprise Resource Planning software solution. They also added contract employees to increase engineering capacity for routine work like data entry and manual error checking.
But this approach failed to reduce redundant work or the maintenance of multiple systems for accurate data.
Subsequently, GP Reeves switched to COUNTERPART, an industry leading CAD-Integrated ERP solution specifically for ETO manufacturers. COUNTERPART allowed them to eliminate duplicative work, consolidate systems, create accurate BOMs faster, and refocus engineering efforts for growth without headcount. These efficiencies and streamlined processes ultimately helped reduce engineering costs by 20% and add capacity for new client work after COUNTERPART adoption.
Headquartered in the manufacturing base of West Michigan, GP Reeves has designed and built precision fluid dispensing equipment since 1971. Founded by the company’s namesake, Gordon Paul Reeves, GP Reeves has deep expertise in building systems that apply greases, oils, adhesives, and sealants with precise accuracy.
After 30 years of growth, the company is now led by current President, Kevin Reeves, and their reach has expanded to serve customers in 17 countries across four continents.
Today, custom solutions are a majority of GP Reeves’ business, and every solution is engineered to meet the specific needs of customers across complex and highly-regulated industries. With 55 employees and a strong focus on custom systems, GP Reeves’ growth initially put a lot of pressure on outdated internal processes.
As they grew, GP Reeves encountered mounting strain on engineering resources, production scheduling, and procurement accuracy. To help, they implemented an ERP software (E2 MFG). However, E2 lacked multiple key features, including the right integration between CAD and ERP systems, proper inventory controls, manufacturing visibility, and more. Without this support, GP Reeves continued to rely heavily on Excel sheets and contract staff to manage BOMs and costing. GP Reeves needed an ERP that would help them answer tough questions like the following:
Creating BOMs manually, transferring data to multiple systems, updating multiple systems, printing and delivering files to the shop floor. Plus added overhead through multiple contract engineers used just for BOM data management.
Paper folders, delivered in order of expected assembly, made it impossible for manufacturing to see what parts and work was planned next. This eliminated any potential efficiency from batching.
Errors in BOM data transfer and tracking would regularly result in missing or duplicate parts. This was especially difficult when it occurred just before delivery - forcing customers to wait longer.
Outdated pricing data across several systems made it nearly impossible to accurately track and report on cost changes when projects changed. And the process of making these updates was highly inefficient.
After a disappointing multi-year experience attempting to solve their issues with E2 MFG, Kevin and the engineering team were wary of ERP solutions that claimed to be built for ETO manufacturers. They evaluated alternative tools, including several large providers like Oracle. However, these ERP systems weren’t made specifically for custom solution builders and didn’t offer the integrations that would actually address GP Reeves’ persistent difficulty in creating, updating, and managing BOM data.
A professional contact recommended COUNTERPART due to its proprietary CAD ERP integrations and industry-leading ERP tools. During the evaluation process, COUNTERPART used real data from GP Reeves to accurately demonstrate how COUNTERPART works and precisely show how SOLIDWORKS data flowed to the ERP and back (bi-directionally), and then downstream to procurement, inventory, manufacturing, assembly, etc.
COUNTERPART was the first ERP to solve the root cause of persistent issues for GP Reeves and eliminate the engineering time wasted on BOM data management. For Kevin, who retains involvement with engineering leadership, choosing COUNTERPART came down to 3 key factors:
Overall, GP Reeves’ experience with COUNTERPART implementation was “far easier” than their prior ERP. Kevin recalls a moment, shortly after the transition to COUNTERPART, where they could “stop updating two systems and finally trust one source of data.”
COUNTERPART helped GP Reeves streamline ETO operations across engineering, procurement, manufacturing and assembly.
Accurate cost tracking and fewer manual updates allowed the company to operate with a leaner team – delivering custom solutions faster and more profitably.
COUNTERPART’s industry-leading CAD ERP integrations allow engineering to instantly create BOMs and push design data to all downstream teams.
The elimination of manual BOMs creation eliminated duplicate data entry and time spent updating files and systems.
Engineering teams saw a 90% reduction in BOM workload while becoming leaner and shifting focus to high-value work.
Digital BOMs give manufacturing an up-to-date, holistic view into production needs, and timelines could shift with instant visibility for other teams.
With clear visibility and no more guesswork, teams can see what’s coming and batch efficiently.
Manufacturing and assembly can deliver faster and reprioritize or consolidate as needed.
Even when customer requirements change, COUNTERPART tracks every detail and status, down to individual parts. This simplifies communication across teams with easily referenced CAD visuals.
Procurement can easily track what’s not ordered, what’s changed, and what’s in progress.
Accurate, timely procurement functions keep delivery on time while avoiding costly errors.
From part changes to more significant redesigns, COUNTERPART offers real-time insights into project costs.
Engineering teams don’t have to update multiple systems, and Sales can quickly respond to customers with confidence.
Shared cost data produces better quotes, drives profitability, and exposes real margins well before delivery.
After starting with COUNTERPART in 2019, GP Reeves continues to rely on COUNTERPART as a foundational tool for scaling and driving profitability – especially as their custom business grows. Kevin attributes their success with COUNTERPART to the unique CAD integration, cross-team visibility, and strong on-site implementation support.
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