Parafix Tapes’ Proof-of-Delivery Solution Sticks for More than a Decade

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Parafix Tapes & Conversions Ltd., a leading distributor and converter of self-adhesive materials in the United Kingdom, has a vast array of customers with very different challenges, and works with each customer to develop materials that address very specific needs. Using cut-outs from various tape products such as foams, tapes, films and foils, Parafix develops and produces incredibly precise, cut and shaped pieces for highly specialized purposes. This isn’t your normal craft-in-the-kitchen operation: healthcare, automotive, highway construction, and other key industries depend on the exactness of their products. Solutions Parafix has developed with their clients include pieces of tape that hold heart monitors to the body; tape that protects the digital display windows of mobile phones; precise, miniscule pieces of tape that are inserted into the steering columns of cars to automatically trigger a pre-specified response upon turning; tapes that supercede welding for highway signs; and adhesives for colostomy bags. These customized products must, and do, “hold fast” to their physical destiny.

Background

Located in Lancing, West Sussex, in the United Kingdom, Parafix has been designing, producing and distributing solutions for its customers for many years. While the actual product varies in size from large adhesives used in construction to the miniscule tapes used inside steering columns, its typical customer orders large quantities of whatever is produced. This results in a lot of necessary record keeping, inventory control, and prompt invoicing. A critical part of their business operations is a clear proof of delivery.

Although Parafix was certainly not “foiled” by the challenges it faced in developing tape solutions, it faced a mounting document management challenge as the firm grew. Eventually, in 1994, Parafix decided to look into an electronic document management system(EDMS), and OITUK, reseller of Optical Image Technology, Inc.’s DocFinity products, was chosen.

The challenge

Parafix faced a sticky problem: documenting that its products had been delivered to the intended recipients in a timely manner, and that the goods were in good condition upon arrival. Although many of the customers order large amounts of products at any given time, the pieces are often very small, making some delivered goods prone to being misplaced by the customer. A signed-off proof of delivery was, and remains, of paramount importance. The idea was generated that if delivery documents could be scanned into an EDM system, Parafix would have an immediate overview of successfully delivered products, as well as problems that might need to be addressed. In addition, if the “proof of delivery” documents could be linked to an invoicing system, accurate invoicing could be generated at the time the delivery was made, ensuring greater accuracy for goods delivered and more prompt billing for services rendered.

The solution

After searching for viable solutions, OITUK and their DocFinity products were chosen as the most viable solution for the company. By employing the DocFinity COLD-ERM and imaging products, the management at Parafix was able to achieve considerable cost savings while creating considerable process improvement for their employees and ultimately for their customers. Currently, 12,000 documents are scanned into the system annually, and the related invoices are generated within a day or so. The success of the system has led to greater accuracy in document tracking, considerable time savings, and cost savings for the company.

Adhering to the best

OITUK helped Parafix Tapes to improve their process management, and the solution continues to stick. Parafix, in turn, does this for their customers: process improvement through alternative adhesive solutions with tape-based products that help their clients reduce costs. For more than a decade, Parafix has adhered to its chosen DocFinity solution, which has helped them expedite the delivery of their products and invoicing operations as seamlessly as transparent “magic” tape.

For more information about Optical Image Technology, please visit the website at www.docfinity.com, email us at info@docfinity.com, or call 800-678-3241. For information about OITUK, our partner in the United Kingdom, please visit www.oituk.com.