30% Faster Order Processing with Odoo for the Steel Manufacturing Industry

Client Overview

Processes Built on Quality and Held Back by Legacy Systems

This American steel manufacturer has 20 years of experience supplying high-strength steel rods for the country’s largest infrastructure projects. Their reputation has been supported by the quality of their work, but behind the scenes, their internal tech was struggling.

As the business grew, the company's old back-office systems struggled to keep up with the increasing complexity of operations. Every day, different friction points resurfaced due to disconnected tools and processes usually handled manually. The client observed delays in order processing and unreliable production data. That’s when the company started looking into Odoo for the steel manufacturing industry as a way to bring all of its operations together and build a digital foundation that could grow with the company.

Solution

Customizing Odoo to Fit the Steel Industry Requirements

Glorium Technologies set up an Odoo ERP for the steel industry, with custom modules that brought all departments onto a single platform. This particular project required three phases, with the first six months spent on digitizing the most important processes—sales and manufacturing.

The project was executed in three structured phases, with the first focusing on digitizing the sales and manufacturing cycle within six to seven months.

1. Process Centralization

During the discovery stage, we mapped end-to-end operational processes to customize the Odoo system to cover all major business functions, including sales, production, inventory, logistics, and accounting.

2. Streamlined Quotation Management

To address the challenge of the 700-field quotation process, we created Odoo templates that automate calculations using formulas. This approach got rid of unnecessary manual entry and increased accuracy.

3. Industry-Specific Customization

The steel manufacturing industry required unique customizations, such as high-precision fields for material types, casting types, and quality groups. Glorium Technologies built these unique customizations in Odoo for the steel manufacturing industry, helping decision-makers analyze performance data by steel grade, order source, or location in seconds.

4. Revision Tracking System

Customizations included enhancing Odoo to track multiple quotation versions, store every parameter change, and automatically pass updated data to manufacturing orders. By doing so, we’ve ensured production planning would be precise and traceable.

5. Procurement Workflow Automation

With the procurement workflow automation, departments and subcontractors can now create purchase requisitions directly in Odoo. The managers can later review the requisition forms and turn them into official orders with only a few clicks, again, helping the team replace old manual workarounds with a clearer, automated approval process.

6. Integration and Data Synchronization

• Master data integration: To keep data consistent across channels, the company now has real-time synchronization with Azure Data Lake via REST API
• Document management: Document management was made easier with auto-convertion of CAD files to PDF, linking them directly to their respective sales orders in Odoo
• Legacy sync: During transition, the system maintained synchronization with the old BSI system to ensure continuity

7. Logistics and Compliance

Customized Odoo ERP handles all import, export, and interstate logistics operations. The client doesn’t have to manually track freight, charges, port fees, or compliance documentation—it’s now all handled in Odoo. And the audit trails are digitalized as well, with Odoo’s eSign and Document module.

8. User Access and Mobile Enablement

Before, the client struggled to scale their systems and allow their users to access permissions smoothly; now, the platform supports over 800 users across U.S. branches. Managers can approve workflows, monitor KPIs, and review reports directly through the Odoo mobile app.

Results

What 50% Faster Quotations Look Like: Results of Odoo for the Steel Industry

Implementing Odoo transformed the client’s processes, improving speed, visibility, and accuracy. Below, you can explore the results of this three-phased implementation based on order conversion speed, quotation preparation time, revision visibility, and other success metrics.

Business Value

What the Leadership Team Gained from Odoo for the Steel Manufacturing Industry

• Faster time-to-quote: Implementing Odoo reduced the time the sales team spent on generating accurate quotes. Now, instead of hours, they can do it in minutes
• Unified financial insight: The essential financial data has been gathered within one platform, giving the decision-makers an opportunity to view consolidated P&L, procurement costs, and production data in real time
• Full compliance: The client has complete traceability thanks to Odoo’s approval workflows and digital documentation
• A platform that scales alongside the company: The system supports over 800 active users, ready to expand as the company grows nationwide