INDUSTRY
A UK-based manufacturer of natural acoustic wall paneling
CHALLENGE
Naturewall struggled with limited visibility, inefficient systems, and manual processes that hindered growth and scalability.
IMPLEMENTATION TIME
They adopted Katana to unify sales, inventory, and production, integrating it with Shopify and rolling it out within a few months.
RESULTS
The company doubled its monthly sales and significantly improved operational efficiency across the board.
THE COMPANY
Naturewall, a UK-based manufacturer of natural acoustic wall paneling, significantly enhanced its operations by implementing Katana’s cloud-based inventory and production management platform. This strategic move enabled the company to double its monthly sales and improve overall efficiency.
Naturewall uses Katana and Shopify in tandem to manage operations from sales to production.
With plans to expand to another fulfilment centre outside the UK, Naturewall needed a solution that would allow them to manage multiple warehouses and integrate with their key accounting and ecommerce tools. Stephen Newlove needed software that would allow him to monitor manufacturing orders, ensure on-time fulfilment, and handle purchasing and sales on one.
THE CHALLENGE BEFORE KATANA
Prior to adopting Katana, Naturewall faced several operational hurdles:
• Limited Visibility:
The company lacked real-time insights into inventory levels, production status, and order fulfilment, hindering scalability.
• Inefficient Systems:
Existing tools like Linnworks failed to meet the company’s production requirements, leading to reliance on manual processes and spreadsheets.
• Complex Sales Channels:
Managing both direct-to-consumer (via Shopify) and B2B sales through emails created challenges in order tracking and fulfilment.
• Growth Constraints:
Plans to expand operations, including setting up an additional fulfillment center outside the UK, necessitated a more robust and scalable solution.
THE SOLUTIONS IMPLEMENTED WITH KATANA
Implementing Katana addressed these challenges through:
• Integrated Operations:
Katana’s platform unified sales, inventory, production, and accounting processes, providing a centralised system for managing operations.
• Enhanced Visibility:
Real-time tracking of manufacturing orders and inventory levels allowed for proactive decision-making and efficient resource allocation.
• Shop Floor App:
The introduction of Katana’s Shop Floor App streamlined task management on the production floor, improving workflow and productivity.
• Scalability:
Features like multi-currency support and integrations with key services facilitated the company’s expansion plans and international operations.
THE RESULTS
The adoption of Katana led to tangible improvements:
• Revenue Growth:
Naturewall doubled its monthly sales, attributing this growth to improved operational efficiency and better resource management.
• Operational Efficiency:
The company experienced enhanced control over production and order fulfilment processes, reducing errors and delays.
• User-Friendly Interface:
Employees found Katana’s intuitive design, likened to an “educated Excel sheet,” easy to navigate, facilitating quick adoption and effective use.
With Katana, everything is just so easy and accessible.”
