Updated · Originally published
Plastics Manufacturing with Business Central Implementation
Challenge: Fragmented Systems and Shadow IT
A German plastics manufacturing systems company with a U.S. satellite office in Michigan faced a tough transition. Their U.S. branch handled North American distribution and marketing, but still ran manufacturing on a bespoke Made2Manage ERP. They wanted a system with stronger shipping, receiving, and inventory tools. They also needed to end shadow IT usage, centralize data, and flatten complex bills of materials across operations.
Furthermore, the client required seamless integration with their German CRM and a custom quote-configuration tool. Their goal: one unified system across continents.
Solution: Choosing Business Central
After careful assessment, The TM Group proposed shifting to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. They selected modules for general ledger, accounts payable, inventory control, assembly management, and field order management. Because the client’s leaders supported the change, configuration went smoothly with fewer delays.
Employee buy-in played a key role. The materials and logistics manager adopted the requisition worksheet early, which allowed purchasing and fulfillment to flow faster. The Michigan division president also engaged closely with planning and training, ensuring alignment from leadership down.
Results: Centralization, Efficiency & Growth
Once live, the impact was clear. Data access expanded across the organization, and shadow IT tools disappeared. The requisition worksheet drove better order planning and boosted fulfillment capacity. In sales, the general ledger’s Dimensions feature enabled deeper analytical insight. The client also introduced a new commission-reporting method and optimized CON-BOM reordering for distribution.
Though the go-live was successful, the work continues. The TM Group now collaborates on XML purchase order workflows between Michigan and Germany, further tightening integration.
This case shows how plastics manufacturing with Business Central transforms fragmented systems into powerful, centralized operations.
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The TM Group (TMG) is now part of Technology Management Concepts (TMC), creating one of the most comprehensive Microsoft-focused consulting organizations in North America. By bringing together decades of expertise across Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Azure, Copilot and business applications, we're building the Microsoft partner you'll never outgrow.
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