How AIM MRO doubled shipping capacity while saving 2-3 hours daily with Priority ERP automation

Before implementing Priority ERP, AIM MRO faced operational bottlenecks that limited their growth potential. Processing 50-60 work orders a day using entirely manual methods was significantly inefficient. Employees manually entered data for each order, generating labels and documentation through multiple keystrokes, which introduced frequent typos and keystroke errors that required time-consuming corrections and verification.

Additionally, AIM MRO operated as two separate entities: a distribution business and a manufacturing operation with disconnected systems and data sets. This separation created integration challenges, duplicate efforts, and made it difficult to gain a unified view of operations across both sides of the business. The lack of automation and system integration threatened the company's ability to scale and limited their capacity to serve growing customer demand efficiently.

AIM MRO partnered with Priority Software and their implementation partner PRT to transform their operations over a 20-year relationship. According to Chris Newberry, Operations Manager and Jordan Ducheny, IT Manager, at AIM MRO, the solution included several critical components:

• Work order automation: Priority automated the entire work order process, transforming what required multiple manual steps into a single-button operation. The system automatically generates all necessary labels and documentation, eliminating manual data entry and the associated errors.
• Inventory management system: The company deployed Priority's advanced inventory management capabilities with barcode scanning technology. Items are now scanned at each stage of the process and reported in real-time, providing instant visibility into inventory levels and movements.
• Integrated distribution and manufacturing platform: Priority successfully merged AIM MRO's two separate companies – distribution and manufacturing – into one unified system. The integration was designed to be seamless, combining disparate data sets while maintaining data integrity across operations.
• Large-scale data migration: The implementation included migrating and merging over one million data points from multiple legacy systems into the unified Priority platform, completed in just one day to minimize business disruption.
• Customizable platform: Priority's highly customizable software package allowed AIM MRO to tailor the system to their specific jet engine repair materials business requirements, with ongoing support for customizations as needs evolved over their 20-year partnership.
• Dedicated support partnership: Throughout the implementation and ongoing operations, Priority Software and PRT provided consistent, responsive support to ensure system optimization and address customization needs.

 

AIM MRO's investment in Priority ERP automation generated extraordinary returns in operational efficiency and business growth. The company saves 2-3 hours daily through work order automation alone, representing 500-750 hours annually, while simultaneously doubling their shipping volume over 10 years without adding staff. The seamless merger of their distribution and manufacturing operations into one platform, including migration of over one million data points in a single day, positioned AMMRO for sustainable growth while maintaining their two-person shipping and receiving team.

Detailed performance improvements: Save 2-3 hours daily through automations

The automation of work order processing delivers quantifiable daily efficiency gains:

• Annual time savings: 500-750 hours per year (based on 250 working days)
• Labor cost reduction: Assuming a $25/hour labor cost, this represents $12,500-$18,750 in annual savings from reduced manual processing time
• Error elimination: Keystroke errors and typos that previously required correction time have been eliminated
• Process simplification: What once required multiple steps and manual label generation now happens with one button press
• Resource reallocation: Staff previously occupied with manual data entry can now focus on value-added activities

Shipping capacity: 100% volume increase with the same headcount

Over the 20-year partnership with Priority, AIM MRO achieved remarkable scaling efficiency:

• Doubled line items shipped without increasing shipping and receiving staff
• Maintained 2-person team while handling 100% more volume
• Per-person productivity increase: Each team member now processes twice the volume they handled previously
• Cost avoidance: By not hiring additional staff to handle doubled volume, AMMRO avoided approximately $80,000-$100,000+ annually in additional labor costs (assuming 2 additional employees at $40,000-$50,000 each)
• Scalability achieved: Process simplification created capacity for continued growth without proportional headcount increases

As Chris Newberry noted, “The process has simplified so much. It's been fantastic.” This simplification transformed what could have required a four-person team into an operation efficiently managed by two people.

System integration: 1 Million+ data points migrated in one day

The seamless merger of AIM MRO's distribution and manufacturing operations represented a technical achievement with significant business impact:

• Over 1 million data points successfully migrated and combined from multiple legacy systems
• One-day completion minimized business disruption and downtime
• Zero data loss maintained operational continuity and historical information
• Unified platform eliminated duplicate data entry across distribution and manufacturing operations
• Single source of truth improved decision-making with consistent data across the organization
• Integration efficiency: Typical ERP integrations of this scale often take weeks or months; Priority's one-day execution saved substantial time and cost

The ability to merge two complete business entities into one system without extended downtime or data integrity issues demonstrates both the robustness of Priority's platform and the expertise of the implementation team.

Operational excellence: Error elimination and process streamlining

Beyond the headline numbers, Priority delivered qualitative improvements that impact daily operations:

• Zero keystroke errors: Automated work order generation eliminated manual entry mistakes
• No typos: System-generated labels and documentation maintain perfect accuracy
• Streamlined workflows: Multi-step processes reduced to single-button operations
• Consistent output: Every work order processed identically, ensuring quality and compliance
• Reduced training time: Simplified processes mean new employees become productive faster

Long-term partnership value: 20 years of continuous support

AIM MRO's 20-year relationship with Priority Software and PRT demonstrates sustained value:

• Ongoing customization: System adapts to evolving business needs without requiring replacement
• Responsive support: As Newberry states, “The support you get from Priority and PRT is unlike no other. They're always there. They're fantastic.”
• Software flexibility: According to Ducheny, “The software package is so customizable,” allowing AIM MRO to implement specific requirements for their jet engine materials niche.
• Partnership approach: Rather than a vendor relationship, Priority functions as a strategic partner invested in AIM MRO's success
• Future-proofing: Continuous updates and customizations ensure the system remains relevant as the business evolves

Return on investment

While AIM MRO has not disclosed complete financial figures, the documented improvements indicate substantial ROI:

• Annual labor savings: $12,500-$18,750 from 2-3 hours daily time savings
• Avoided hiring costs: $80,000-$100,000+ annually by doubling capacity without adding staff
• Error reduction savings: Elimination of keystroke errors and resulting corrections, customer issues, and potential order problems
• Efficiency gains: Streamlined processes across 50-60 daily work orders compound to significant productivity improvements
• Scalability value: Infrastructure now supports continued growth without proportional system investment

Competitive advantages achieved

The Priority implementation strengthened AIM MRO's position as the only “one-stop-shop” for component repair materials:

• Faster order processing improves customer service and response times
• Higher accuracy enhances reliability and customer confidence
• Unified operations between distribution and manufacturing create seamless customer experience
• Scalability enables AIM MRO to pursue growth opportunities without operational constraints
• Cost efficiency allows competitive pricing while maintaining margins

The Priority ERP implementation transformed AIM MRO from a company struggling with manual processes and data silos into an integrated, efficient manufacturer capable of competing effectively in specialized markets while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Chris Newberry's assessment captures the overall impact: “Priority was able to take us to the next level and make everything automated… They literally just have to release the materials.” This transformation from manual, error-prone processes to streamlined, automated operations has positioned AIM MRO for continued success in the specialized jet engine repair materials market, with the operational capacity and efficiency to support sustained growth while maintaining their differentiated “one-stop-shop” value proposition.