AU & NZ
SG
MY
US
IE
Case study: Kirkstall Precision Engineering
Access manufacturing software creates sustainable and scalable platform for growth for leading precision engineering company
Industry
Medical Device Manufacturing
Business size
Medium
Product in Focus
Access FactoryMaster
Other products
Access Orchestrate, Access EVO
Challenge
- Scaling operations as part of growth strategy limited by existing systems
- Lack of accurate data to base commercial decisions on
- Traceability gaps made audits difficult
Approach
Kirkstall Precision Engineering implemented Access FactoryMaster MRP to digitise and streamline order-to-cash cycle
Results
- Attracted investment partners supporting growth in the medical device sector
- Opened new avenues for growth and revenue opportunities
- Recognised as best-in-class in auditing performance
- Seamless ISO ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 re-certification processes
Overcoming Compliance and Operational Bottlenecks
For over 35 years, Kirkstall Precision Engineering has been at the forefront of global precision manufacturing, delivering turnkey solutions to clients across sectors including medical, aerospace, motorsport, energy, and food. Their reputation is built on a highly skilled workforce and continuous investment in cutting-edge technology and facilities.
As the company expanded into medical device and instrumentation design and manufacturing, operational demands intensified. Legacy systems like Excel couldn’t support the level of traceability and compliance required for ISO 13485 certification. Audits became increasingly complex, and scaling operations was limited by fragmented data and manual processes.
Kirkstall needed a solution that could not only meet regulatory standards but also support their long-term growth across multiple industries. That’s where Access FactoryMaster came in.
Since implementing Access FactoryMaster, Kirkstall has sharpened its focus on expanding in the medical device sector, a move that has attracted new investment partners who see the MRP system as a key enabler of scalable, compliant growth.
Digitising the End-to-End Manufacturing Workflow
Access didn’t just deliver software, they worked collaboratively with Kirkstall to maximise the system to their unique workflows. Unlike off-the-shelf solutions that require businesses to change their processes, Access FactoryMaster was configured around Kirkstall’s operational needs.
“We didn’t have to bend our processes to fit the software. Access FactoryMaster adapted to us, and that made all the difference.”
— Adam Thornton, CEO, Kirkstall Precision Engineering
The solution now supports the full order-to-cash cycle:
- Begins with a customer inquiry and detailed quote built in Access FactoryMaster
- Includes manufacturing route and bill of materials creation
- Triggers a contract review process for quality assurance
- Generates live work orders for the shop floor
- Tracks material issues, task ownership, and time spent on each process
- Automates dispatch documentation, including certificates of conformity and release notes
Access FactoryMaster also collects detailed and accurate operational data , enabling Kirkstall to analyse performance and make smarter commercial decisions. This level of traceability and visibility has been especially valuable in meeting the rigorous standards of the medical device sector.
“The major role that Access plays is traceability - right from the start to the end of the process. The software has been excellent at that, and it’s really fast-forwarded us as an organisation, especially from an auditing perspective.”
Read more about main Benefits of Traceability in Manufacturing
Watch the full case study video
Kirkstall Precision Engineering shares their firsthand experience about the impact of Access FactoryMaster on their business.
