Entrepreneur Dan Klasel couldn’t cope with the discontinuation of a line of mobile power supply systems, so he and his business partner bought it. Now, his team is modernizing its manufacturing through automation and manufacturing ERP software.
Power Supply System Manufacturer Uses Tech to Revive Fabled Product Line
Case Study from | MRPeasy
Reviving a discontinued product line
SpanGuard is a power supply system manufacturer from Tioga, Pennsylvania, that builds continuous conductor bar systems for manufacturing sites, amusement parks, and other large applications. While the product was originally designed in the 1960s by US Safety Trolley, it was discontinued a few years ago.
"I had been using the product myself since 1979 so I couldn’t believe they had stopped manufacturing it because it’s so common in the field,” says Dan Klasel, President.
Klasel reached out to the previous manufacturer and asked if they were interested in selling the company. Negotiations ensued, an offer was accepted, and SpanGuard Corporation was created to bring the product back to life.
“We are now modernizing the manufacturing processes,” Klasel says. “Most of the manual manufacturing has been taken out and we’ve started to automate using CNC systems.”
Software was a top priority from day one
With just six employees building a highly complex product, the amount of work would be unmanageable if everything was done manually. That is why Klasel knew they had to automate the process and adopt software to keep track of things.
"I believe that if you’re going to implement something, you should do it from the beginning and grow into it rather than trying to stuff a bunch of spreadsheets into a system later," he maintains.
Klasel decided which system he wanted to adopt after he had visited a neighboring manufacturer who used MRPeasy to run his business.
“By looking at him, I would not have expected him to know how to run a computer,” he jokes. “And it was amazing that he could run his business on MRPeasy.”
At a previous company, Klasel had completed a year of training to use Netsuite, only to hear his peers complain about the system's complexity when it finally went live. This reinforced his belief that better-known products might not always be better.
Initial setup took only a week
Implementing MRPeasy was smooth sailing as the initial setup only took them about a week.
“We were running the operation on MRPeasy before even opening the doors,” Klasel says.
According to Klasel, the MRPeasy support team has been very helpful and quick to respond, promptly resolving any issues that have come up.
“The tutorials and videos are also wonderful,” he says. “I’ve never had a product with so much information freely available.”
Getting access to key data on the go
With MRPeasy fully embedded into their operations early on, SpanGuard has achieved something every growing manufacturing company strives for: clarity.
“The biggest benefit is having information at my fingertips,” says Klasel. “Whether it’s inventory, invoicing, or procurement, I can find answers in a few clicks from anywhere—even on my phone.”
For a team of six handling the entire operation, accessing key data on the go is a game-changer. Customer questions—like whether a product is in stock or if raw materials will arrive on time—can be answered immediately.
“We’ve built our BOMs on the system and can check inventory to see what’s available or what’s coming in,” he adds. “I could show someone my revenue, receivables, and inventory value in just a few clicks—that’s how fast and user-friendly it is. The hardest part is entering my password.”
Klasel emphasizes that the platform does more than provide visibility. It helps structure the business in a sustainable way.
“It’s forcing us into a discipline that we didn’t have before,” he says. “And that’s a good thing.”
Reliable software that does exactly what it promises
Having had prior experience with larger systems like SAP and Netsuite, Klasel is acutely aware of the downsides of bloated ERP implementations. MRPeasy, in contrast, does exactly what it promises—without getting in the way.
“It’s simple. It just works. It doesn’t require more effort than the benefit it provides,” Klasel says.
Klasel encourages other small manufacturers not to wait until things get out of control before investing in systems like MRPeasy.
“Start from the beginning with a system like MRPeasy, so you’re ready to scale when the time comes,” he advises. “MRPeasy is an omission of headaches. It allows us to focus on what we need to do without worrying about the system.”
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of ManufacturingTomorrow
MRPeasy
MRPeasy is a seriously powerful and easy to use ERP software for small manufacturers that gives you everything you need to manage your manufacturing and distribution processes. Integrating sales, procurement, inventory, production, finances, and your team, it provides you with an accurate real-time overview of your operations. MRPeasy is trusted by 2000+ small manufacturers worldwide, 700+ of which are based in the US and Canada. Our users report a 54% average improvement in the overall performance of their business and a 42% increase in on-time deliveries. Try for free, no credit card needed.
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