Cerion Nanomaterials is a leading innovator in the field of nanotechnology, specializing in the design, scale-up and manufacturing of metal, metal oxide and ceramic nanoparticles used in its customer’s products and systems. The company has a track record of developing cutting-edge materials to enhance the performance of products across more than 40 industries globally. With a growing customer base and increasing operational complexity, Cerion realized the need for an integrated and scalable solution to efficiently manage its financial operations and supply chain. After thorough research and evaluation, Cerion implemented Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Supply Chain.
Journey of Continued Improvement
The implementation journey of Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Supply Chain was to provide continued improvement of Cerion operations:
Address any Disparate Systems: The company's financial and supply chain operations were managed using distinct systems, which potentially could create data duplication, inaccuracies, and delays in decision-making.
Discover Manual Processes: Many processes, including procurement, inventory management, and financial reporting, relied on employee data entry and analysis. This could result in inefficiencies, errors, and a lack of real-time visibility into its business operations.
Scalability: As Cerion experienced significant growth in its service offerings, its digital transformation journey helped address the increased complexity and volume of transactions with its customers, vendors, and employees.
Insights: Cerion's management wanted to increase their insights into the company's financial performance to make better informed strategic decisions.
Solution
Cerion Nanomaterials decided to implement Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Supply Chain to address these challenges. The solution offered a comprehensive suite of tools for financial management, supply chain optimization, reporting, and business intelligence. The implementation process followed an Agile Methodology with these milestones:
Needs Assessment: Cerion's team and Maggnumite collaborated to identify the company's requirements. This involved mapping existing processes, understanding pain points, and defining the desired outcomes.
Configuration: Microsoft Dynamics was implemented to Cerion's unique business processes. This involved configuring modules such as financial management, procurement, inventory management, and reporting to align with the company's needs.
Data Migration: Historical data from Cerion's legacy systems were cleansed, transformed, and migrated to the new platform. This ensured a seamless transition and preserved valuable historical records.
Training and Mentoring: Cerion employees received comprehensive training on using the new system. This enabled them to adapt quickly, embrace the solution, and effectively utilize the platform's capabilities.
Testing: Rigorous testing was conducted to ensure the system worked as expected, focusing on data accuracy, process flows, and user experience.
Go-Live and Support: After successful testing, the system was deployed. A dedicated support team was in place to address any issues during the initial implementation phase.
Results
The implementation of Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Supply Chain brought about significant improvements for Cerion Nanomaterials:
Account Controls: Microsoft Dynamics provides Cerion Nanomaterials with the ability to control accounting via strict user security, streamlined accounting processes, audit trail, and approval.
Streamlined Processes: Manual data entry was reduced, and workflows were optimized, improving efficiency and reducing errors across financial and supply chain operations.
Real-time Visibility: The new system provided real-time insights around procurement processes and financial performance. This empowered management to make better-informed decisions promptly.
Scalability: The platform's scalability allowed Cerion to accommodate increased transaction volumes and complexity without compromising performance.
Data Accuracy: With centralized data management, data accuracy improved, leading to faster and more reliable financial reporting and better-informed decision-making.
Enhanced Collaboration: Departments across Cerion could collaborate more effectively due to the integrated nature of the platform, breaking down silos and fostering better communication.
Conclusion
Implementing Microsoft Dynamics Finance & Supply Chain marked a turning point for Cerion Nanomaterials. By streamlining processes, improving data accuracy, and providing real-time insights, the company could operate more efficiently and confidently make strategic decisions. Chief Executive Officer, Landon Mertz says: “The successful collaboration between Cerion's internal teams and Maggnumite, along with careful planning, configuration, and personalization, ensured that the implementation aligned perfectly with our needs and goals.” As Cerion continues to innovate and grow, its partnership with Microsoft Dynamics and Maggnumite lays a solid foundation for sustained success in the rapidly growing nanomaterials industry. Dan Gregersen, Maggnumite CEO says, “It was and still is, very rewarding to the Maggnumite team to be guiding and mentoring Cerion Nanomaterials, a fast-moving business. Aiding their journey from legacy accounting software to a fully-fledged Microsoft Dynamics platform is paving the way to a bigger, brighter future.”