Manufacturers continue to modernize their operations by consolidating business-critical applications onto unified enterprise platforms that connect commercial, production, and quality processes. As organizations seek greater visibility across increasingly complex manufacturing environments, cloud ERP implementations are evolving beyond finance and inventory management to become the operational backbone for end-to-end digital transformation.
Reflecting this trend, James Steel & Tube, a subsidiary of Avis Industrial Corporation, has successfully completed its implementation of Rootstock Cloud ERP, bringing together sales, manufacturing, quality management, and customer engagement on the Salesforce Platform.
Building a Connected Manufacturing Platform
James Steel & Tube manufactures structural steel tubing for the construction, transportation, and industrial sectors. The implementation combines Rootstock ERP, Agentforce Sales, Agentforce Experience, and ComplianceQuest into a single operational environment designed to improve visibility and streamline workflows across the business.
According to Dan Barton, Chief Transformation Officer at Avis Industrial Corporation, the new platform connects the entire operational lifecycle.
“With Rootstock ERP now live, the commercial process flows naturally into manufacturing—from sales and quoting through MRP, purchase orders, work orders, and ultimately shipping—all in one connected environment. Rootstock’s real-time reporting and dashboard capabilities on the Salesforce Platform are highly accessible and easily configurable by our users. In a high-volume operation like ours, the ability to gain meaningful, live insights on what’s happening in the business is genuinely transformative.”
Automating the Shop Floor
One of the most notable aspects of the implementation is the integration between the ERP platform and the company’s programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
Machine data from the production floor now automatically updates work orders within Rootstock ERP, eliminating manual data entry and improving the accuracy and timeliness of manufacturing information.
The deployment also includes a customized purchasing workflow tailored to the company’s raw material acquisition processes, while ComplianceQuest supports receiving inspections and quality controls before materials enter production.
On the commercial side, Agentforce Sales provides sales teams with real-time visibility into production status, and a customer-facing Agentforce Experience portal enables customers to monitor order progress and production schedules.
Creating a Foundation for AI
Beyond operational improvements, the new platform establishes a centralized data foundation that could support future AI-driven manufacturing initiatives.
With commercial, operational, and production data residing within a unified platform, James Steel & Tube has the flexibility to develop intelligent planning capabilities, including recommendation engines that optimize production scheduling and mill sequencing.
As manufacturers increasingly explore AI applications, connected enterprise data is becoming a prerequisite for predictive planning, operational optimization, and more intelligent decision-making.
Strengthening a Long-Term Partnership
Following the successful implementation, James Steel & Tube has expanded its relationship with Rootstock by adopting the company’s Managed Services offering to support ongoing platform optimization and future enhancements.
Barton praised the implementation team’s understanding of the company’s manufacturing operations.
“I have been part of many ERP implementations over the course of my career, and the Rootstock team’s ability to understand our business and execute with precision is unlike anything I have experienced before. This has been a tremendous asset to our company, and this experience gave us the confidence in expanding our relationship with Rootstock through their Managed Services offering.”
According to Caroline Marty, SVP of Global Professional Services & Enablement at Rootstock Software, the project demonstrates how manufacturers can leverage a platform-based approach to automate complex production environments.
“James Steel & Tube’s implementation is an outstanding example of what is possible when a customer strategically leverages a platform approach, a clear operational vision, and a commitment to building something truly differentiated. From the PLC mill integration to the elimination of manual shop floor data entry, this team has built an operation that is highly automated and highly scalable.”
The Broader Manufacturing Trend
Manufacturing organizations are increasingly moving toward integrated enterprise platforms that connect ERP, CRM, quality management, customer engagement, and operational technology. Rather than treating these systems as standalone applications, companies are building unified digital environments that provide real-time visibility across the entire manufacturing lifecycle.
James Steel & Tube’s implementation reflects this broader industry shift. By combining ERP, quality management, customer engagement, and shop floor automation on a single platform, the company has established a stronger foundation for future initiatives such as AI-driven production planning, predictive operations, and continuous process improvement.
As manufacturers continue modernizing their operations, projects like this demonstrate that the greatest value often comes not from deploying individual applications, but from connecting data, people, and production processes into a single operational ecosystem capable of supporting long-term growth and innovation.
ERP News Editorial Team
The ERPNews Editorial Team covers global developments in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), enterprise software, cloud platforms, AI, automation, and digital transformation, providing independent news and editorial analysis for senior business and technology leaders. Our reporting focuses on market signals, strategic shifts, and enterprise impact across the ERP and enterprise technology ecosystem.
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