Three Real-World Customer Stories from the Shop Floor
When manufacturers evaluate job shop software, they’re often focused on features—quoting, scheduling, reporting, dashboards.
But the real question is: what actually changes once it’s in place?
At MIE Solutions, we believe the answer is best told by the people using it every day. That’s why we host exclusive, customer-led webinars—sessions designed not to showcase software, but to highlight how real job shops are improving operations, visibility, and performance over time.
In a recent session, three customers—David Engineering, Horizon Manufacturing & Repair, and QuaLex Manufacturing—shared how they’ve used job shop software like MIE Trak Pro to gain control of their operations and drive measurable results.
What emerged wasn’t a story about functionality—it was a story about transformation.
David Engineering
Using job shop software to eliminate daily uncertainty
For Michael David, President of David Engineering, implementing job shop software wasn’t about adding complexity—it was about simplifying decision-making across the business.
As he explained, “I look at what’s kind of bugging us and what’s slowing us down—and then I build something where I can see it all at a glance.”
By leveraging the flexibility of MIE Trak Pro, David Engineering created a centralized, real-time view of operations that brings together production status, material availability, and delivery commitments into a single, accessible interface.
The impact has been significant. Shop floor teams can instantly understand job status without chasing information. Customers receive automated delivery updates, reducing inbound calls. And when issues arise, employees can flag them directly in the system, ensuring faster resolution and clearer communication.
Rather than reacting to problems, David Engineering is now using job shop software to anticipate and manage them—turning visibility into a competitive advantage.
Horizon Manufacturing & Repair
Scaling a growing job shop with better visibility and control
At Horizon Manufacturing & Repair, General Manager Jonathan Nordquist is running a high-mix operation that includes machining, fabrication, and industrial repair—exactly the kind of environment where job shop software plays a critical role.
As the business continues to grow at a double-digit pace, maintaining control over scheduling, capacity, and profitability has become increasingly important.
“It tells me my current status in my shop—where everything’s at, what jobs people are working on, what department, what the estimated hours were… and whether we’re on schedule or past due,” he shared.
With the right job shop software in place, Horizon has gained the ability to see—and act on—real-time data across the business. Sales teams can evaluate capacity before committing to new work, helping set realistic expectations with customers. Operations leaders can quickly identify bottlenecks and delays. And financial performance is tracked at the job level, with overruns flagged and reviewed to drive continuous improvement.
For Horizon, job shop software isn’t just a system—it’s the backbone of how they manage growth without sacrificing performance.
QuaLex Manufacturing
Driving continuous improvement through data-driven job shop software
At QuaLex Manufacturing, Engineering Manager Clay Tallon has taken a more analytical approach to job shop software—using it to uncover patterns, improve processes, and drive accountability across the organization.
“We send reports out at the end of every month to every department so they can review them with their team and see what we need to focus on to drive continuous improvement,” he noted.
By using MIE Trak Pro to track key metrics like scrap rates and supplier performance, QuaLex has created a feedback loop that extends across departments. Teams are no longer operating on assumptions—they’re working from shared, consistent data that highlights where improvement is needed most.
This approach has helped the company reduce waste, strengthen supplier accountability, and foster a culture where performance is continuously evaluated and refined.
In this case, job shop software isn’t just supporting operations—it’s actively shaping how the business improves.
What These Job Shops Have in Common
While each company uses job shop software differently, their outcomes are remarkably aligned.
They’ve all achieved:
- Real-time operational visibility
- Faster, more informed decision-making
- Improved communication across teams and with customers
- Stronger control over cost, capacity, and performance
More importantly, they’ve moved beyond simply “using” job shop software to building an operational digital twin that reflects how their businesses actually run.
More Than Job Shop Software
The takeaway from this session was clear: the value of job shop software isn’t defined by its features—it’s defined by how it’s applied.
To these three customers, we say BRAVO! They didn’t just implement an ERP system. They adapted it, extended it, and aligned it with their operational goals. And furthermore, we’re so proud they’re leveraging—and giving back to—the ongoing education and shared experiences that make our MIE Trak Pro customer community so strong.
