Scaling Smart: Driving Digital Efficiency at Vinyl Solutions
Poole-based Vinyl Solutions has designed, manufactured, and installed bespoke uPVC decking for the UK holiday park industry since 1999, creating high-quality, low-maintenance outdoor living spaces tailored to operators and their guests.
The Challenge
Vinyl Solutions needed to streamline its digital systems to support growth and improve efficiency. The business was running two systems in parallel: a bespoke platform managing around 60% of orders and another handling the rest.
This split created operational challenges, with scheduling changes requiring multiple staff to be notified separately, reducing visibility and increasing administrative workload. The company therefore had to decide whether to adopt an off-the-shelf scheduling solution, or expand the bespoke platform into a single integrated system capable of managing up to 90% of jobs.
The Support
Vinyl Solutions accessed support through Business Growth Dorset’s Scale-Up Smart Tech Programme, delivered by SWMAS. SWMAS first engaged with Vinyl Solutions at the launch of Programme at Bournemouth University, which explored off-the-shelf versus bespoke ERP solutions. The event also included tours of Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), showcasing wider support options.
Following this, an on-site business review was carried out with Ed Morey and Richard Tape, identifying the most suitable support. This led to engagement with the Made Smarter programme and a Digital Technology Roadmap review. Additional opportunities were identified, including digital site surveying tools and generative design technologies, for immersive product visualisation.
The Outcomes
- Progress towards a single, consolidated workflow across sales, factory, and installation teams.
- Improved visibility of order status and reduced reliance on parallel systems.
- Greater potential for up to 90% of operational activity to be managed digitally.
- Identification of future technology opportunities, including digital surveying and VR/AR visualisation.
- Made Smarter funding secured to develop the bespoke platform.
SWMAS also identified an excellent example of how Vinyl Solutions is using Microsoft Power BI to generate operational insights, which the company showcased in a joint webinar as part of the programme.
Looking Ahead
With a clear digital roadmap, Vinyl Solutions is set to continue developing its bespoke platform. SWMAS will support future initiatives, including digital surveying and generative AI to help customers visualise their holiday homes and decking before installation.
Quotes
“It was an absolute joy working with Ed and Richard. They are very focussed and engaging, clearly demonstrating their understanding of what needed to be done to progress the project forward by creating an environment to enable the project’s success, freeing up necessary resources, and removing all potential obstacles to progression.”
Nik Brown, Manufacturing Specialist
“The support gave us the confidence to deliver software enhancements we couldn’t have achieved on the same timescale and it inspired future ideas — from digital surveying tools to generative AI to help customers visualise their holiday home and decking before it’s built.”
Ed Morey, Head of Sales Enablement
Related case studies