INDUSTRY
Artisanal manufacturing – premium leather journals and accessories
CHALLENGE
Rapid growth brought production planning issues, inventory inaccuracies, and e-commerce fulfilment conflicts.
IMPLEMENTATION TIME
Katana was implemented swiftly to streamline operations and integrate with Shopify.
RESULTS
60% improvement in production planning, 29% boost in inventory accuracy, and smoother order fulfilment
THE COMPANY
Paper Republic, an Austrian company founded in 2013, specialises in crafting leather journals and accessories using vegetable-tanned, full-grain cowhide sourced from family-run tanneries in Italy. Their commitment to artisanal quality and sustainability led them to seek a manufacturing software solution that could support their growth and operational complexities.
THE CHALLENGE
As Paper Republic expanded, they encountered several operational hurdles:
• Production Planning Difficulties: Managing a complex supply chain and ensuring timely production became increasingly challenging.
• Inventory Management Issues: They struggled with real-time inventory tracking, leading to inefficiencies and stock discrepancies.
• Order Fulfilment Conflicts: Large orders often disrupted the fulfilment of smaller ones, affecting customer satisfaction.
• Integration with E-commerce Platforms: Synchronising inventory with their Shopify store was problematic, leading to overselling or stockouts.
Founder Jérôme Bacquias noted, “We manufacture most of our products and have a complex supply chain. Yet, most third-party inventory management tools out there are made for resellers, not for makers.”
THE SOLUTIONS IMPLEMENTED WITH KATANA
To address these challenges, Paper Republic adopted Katana’s Smart Manufacturing Software, which provided:
• Enhanced Production Planning: By segmenting the production process for each SKU, setting up manufacturing steps, and allocating resources and raw materials to each product and sub-component, they improved production planning by 60%.
• Differentiation Between Order Types: The ability to distinguish between make-to-order and make-to-stock items allowed for better prioritisation, ensuring that large orders didn’t overshadow smaller ones.
• Improved Inventory Accuracy: With real-time inventory tracking and synchronisation with Shopify, inventory accuracy improved by 29%, reducing stock discrepancies and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Streamlined Operations: Katana’s visual and user-friendly interface facilitated better communication among team members, optimised day-to-day operations, and provided a comprehensive overview of business activities.
Additionally, Katana’s smart auto-booking system allowed Paper Republic to prioritise orders efficiently, ensuring timely fulfilment and better resource allocation.
