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Learn how this Western Australian manufacturer replaced outdated, manual systems with a single source of truth, guided by our ERP consultants.
For more than 50 years, A.D. Coote & Co has supported Australian infrastructure projects through the manufacture of steel and aluminium lighting columns and other fabricated products. Like many established manufacturers, the business had outgrown its systems. Paper-based processes, spreadsheets, and disconnected workflows were slowing reporting and limiting visibility across the operation.
They needed a scalable ERP solution that would modernise their operations, deliver real-time insights and set them up for future growth. More, they needed an advisory partner they could trust to guide them through the selection process and support the implementation without disrupting their manufacturing operations.
A multi-disciplinary team of RSM consultants with sector experience in manufacturing were the perfect fit for their digital transformation.
“I would absolutely recommend RSM Australia to other businesses looking to implement a digital or ERP solution, particularly a business operating in manufacturing or operating complex environment. One of the key benefits of working with RSM was the ability to understand the business beyond just the software itself.”
- Charles De Vos, General Manager, A.D. Coote and Co
In this client testimonial, discover how RSM's collaborative approach, practical advice and long-term partnership have helped AD Coote & Co navigate challenges, identify opportunities and build confidence for the future.
How RSM helped A.D Coote and Co modernise their manufacturing operations with Oracle NetSuite
About A.D. Coote and Co
A.D. Coote and Co is a family-owned company based in Welshpool, Western Australia. Since its incorporation in 1968, the company has grown significantly, employing a large production workforce and leading the way in the manufacture of quality steel and aluminium lighting columns throughout Australia.
Over the years, the business has built a strong reputation around quality, compliance, reliability, and responsiveness, particularly within infrastructure and utilities-related sectors, where those standards are critically important.
Operating across steel and aluminium manufacturing, the business works in a market where pricing, freight costs, and supply lead times can shift quickly, making accurate information and operational discipline central to how it competes and grows.
Tertius Nell, Finance and Admin Manager, A.D. Coote and Co, explains,
“During supply disruptions, visibility becomes absolutely critical. If inventory data isn’t accurate or up to date, you can end up over-ordering certain materials, missing shortages on critical components, or delaying production because the information available doesn’t reflect reality on the floor.”
However, as an older company, they relied on a patchwork of legacy systems, spreadsheets and paper-based records. Reporting required significant manual effort to extract and consolidate information from disconnected systems across departments. As a result, the information was often outdated, limiting visibility and delaying decision-making.
Charles De Vos, General Manager at A.D. Coote and Co, says,
“We found ourselves consistently implementing workarounds, spreadsheets and incremental process fixes, just to bridge gaps between systems and improve visibility. While these short-term solutions help temporarily, they weren't really addressing the underlying issue, which was the lack of a fully integrated real-time platform across the business.”
A.D. Coote and Co needed one platform to connect finance, inventory, purchasing, manufacturing, job costing, and reporting in real time. As a true cloud platform, Oracle NetSuite delivered that single source of truth and removed the manual intervention that had defined day-to-day work. Tertius Nell, Finance and Admin Manager at A.D. Coote and Co says “(Oracle) NetSuite stood out because it wasn't just solving today's problem. It gave us a foundation to support the business growth and evolution of the business.”
The result was faster, more accurate reporting and live visibility across the business. Just as importantly, the platform is scalable, giving the business room to grow and adapt without redesigning its systems.
"(Oracle) NetSuite gave A.D. Coote and Co a stronger financial backbone, which really helped with their day-to-day processing and enabled the business to grow." Brynt Moggach, Sales Director, ERP Consulting, RSM Australia.
The biggest benefit for Tertius Nell, was RSM’s depth of understanding. The team at RSM understood both the technical ERP side of the project and the operational realities of a manufacturing business.
"From the beginning, [RSM] took the time to understand how our business actually operates, not just from a finance perspective, but across production, inventory, purchasing, reporting, and workflow management," explains Tertius Nell.
Our digital advisory team brought structure, independence, and confidence to the process.
Rather than recommending a one-size-fits-all platform, the team worked closely with A.D. Coote and Co to understand its operational workflows, reporting requirements, commercial priorities and long-term goals. We ran the RFP and coordinated vendors, before presenting a shortlist of solutions aligned to their budget, requirements and future growth goals. This allowed their team to make a confident, informed decision.
RSM’s Oracle NetSuite specialists then stepped in to lead the implementation and establish a single, integrated environment across the business.
RSM’s implementation lead, Jenk Sengelen says “Successful implementation is not just about the system. It’s about the people who will use it every day.” By taking the time to understand A.D. Coote and Co’s culture, challenges and ways of working, RSM helped make the transition smoother and set the business up for long-term success.
What we delivered
Finance, operations and management reporting were aligned through consistent data structures, reducing duplication and improving data integrity.
We created a single source of truth across the organisation. Teams could access current information on inventory, production and job costing without relying on multiple systems or manual data.
With greater visibility and access to real-time data, management gained stronger control over operations, enabling faster responses to emerging issues and more informed decision-making.
An ongoing trusted advisory relationship to drive continuous optimisation, support users, and find new ways to improve how Oracle NetSuite is used.
Business outcomes:
Measurable improvements and a foundation for future growth
A.D. Coote and Co now operate with real-time visibility, accurate reporting, and confidence in their data. Teams can now see inventory status, production progress and job costs in real time. As Charles De Vos puts it, “Any information I need, I can get at the click of a button.”
With more accurate costing, clearer visibility into job profitability and better insight into material usage, the business is better positioned to protect margins and allocate resources effectively.
One of the most tangible outcomes was a reduction in reporting time. Processes that previously required more than a week of manual consolidation can now be completed within a couple of days, allowing management to review performance sooner and respond more quickly.
The result is a business that is better positioned to respond to changes in supply, demand and pricing, with stronger alignment between operational and financial decision-making.
“We now have much better visibility and confidence in the information we are working with.” ~ Tertius Nell
From RSM’s perspective, the success of the project extended beyond the system go-live.
“Success with an ERP implementation project like this is not only about the go-live. Really, for us, it’s about the long-term value that we can add to the client.” Brynt Moggach
Ready to transform your manufacturing systems?
Talk to our ERP consultants about a structured Oracle NetSuite evaluation and a full-service implementation built around your business.
Ready to transform your manufacturing systems?
Talk to our ERP consultants about a structured Oracle NetSuite evaluation and a full-service implementation built around your business.
