Digitalization Gains Competitive Edge in the Steel Forging Industry

In 2012, changing market dynamics and rising competition prompted MSK Forge to embark on its digital transformation journey. Under the consultancy of Egeria, the success of their IFS ERP project not only boosted operational efficiency but also played a key role in achieving the company’s strategic goals.

Operating on a 35,000 m² site with an annual capacity of 40,000 tons, MSK Forge managed its processes via multiple Excel spreadsheets before moving to an ERP system. This led to communication and coordination challenges between departments. Sales, production, and cost data lived on separate platforms, creating major hurdles for efficiency and traceability. MSK’s primary need was to bring all operations onto a single platform to increase efficiency, optimize costs, and ensure end‑to‑end traceability.

Operational Efficiency Through a Flexible, Customizable ERP Solution
When the Sales department set out to improve competitiveness in global markets and enhance customer satisfaction, MSK Forge evaluated IFS ERP for its flexibility, extensibility, and strong industry references. Thanks to its open‑source architecture and customization options, IFS aligned perfectly with MSK’s unique requirements.

With Egeria’s advisory and support services, MSK Forge launched an ERP project tailored to their needs. Integrating modules for production, maintenance, quality control, and human resources played a pivotal role in optimizing operational workflows.

Key User Insights

• Erdinç Meriç, Sales Manager:
  “Before ERP, our sales and production data were siloed on different platforms, causing issues in efficiency and cost calculations. With IFS ERP, we can accurately calculate costs and manage our quotation processes much more effectively.”

• Ahmet Özcan, IT Specialist (joined two years after the ERP decision):
  “IFS ERP’s flexibility and open‑source nature gave us a huge advantage. We trained operators to collect production data systematically, integrated quality‑control checklists into mobile devices, and now track critical data—like casting numbers—without errors. The Project module is one of our most active; engineering and cost‑estimation based on each customer’s unique requests would be very challenging without IFS. The Forecast and Change‑Management modules are also crucial for us.”

Ahmet also noted that internal and external audits now run through IFS, with automated email workflows ensuring total control. Because IFS came with a ready‑made MES integration, they can monitor production in real time—making life much easier.

Rapid, Effective Deployment with Egeria Consultancy
Leveraging Egeria’s experienced consultants, MSK Forge enjoyed a fast and smooth ERP rollout. By accurately analyzing MSK’s requirements, Egeria played a key role in customizing and integrating IFS.

“In production, planning, and shipping, IFS has significantly improved our processes,” Özcan emphasized. “All work orders—including rework—are created in IFS, with operator‑level data entry enabling highly accurate live production tracking. Every processed piece is reported in real time on a per‑batch basis. The Shipping module ensures that shipped quantities match production outputs, making discrepancies easy to spot.”

MSK also moved many traditionally “ERP‑excluded” processes—like visitor tracking and fire‑extinguisher maintenance—into IFS. Ali Korkmaz, HR Manager, added:

“Thanks to IFS ERP, our HR processes are now truly strategic. We track employee competencies and career development in the system—simplifying audits. Training and certification, once managed in Excel, are now handled in IFS, allowing us to manage safety and training data far more effectively.”

Data‑Driven Decisions for Competitive Advantage
With all data—from production to HR—centralized in IFS ERP, MSK Forge can make informed, data‑driven decisions. This has reduced production costs and sharpened their competitive edge. Sales processes are now fully integrated, enabling faster response to customer demands.

Results & Future Plans
Since going live with IFS ERP, MSK Forge has increased operational efficiency and optimized costs. Real‑time, accurate data entry has made traceability and reporting seamless. With Egeria’s consulting support, MSK has been able to customize and extend IFS to meet its evolving needs. By partnering with Egeria, MSK Forge has successfully digitized its operations through IFS ERP, achieving a major transformation in its business processes.