Global process manufacturer Solmax is accelerating data access and order-to-shipment cycles, as well as dramatically reducing manual work in financial processes, thanks to its move to Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management.
Solmax manufactures geosynthetic products — membranes, textiles, clay liners — for civil and environmental engineering infrastructure. The Quebec-based firm was using a legacy Dynamics AX 2009 ERP platform before it upgraded to Dynamics 365 F/SCM. Its goals: create a single source of truth for data access and reporting, standardize global processes, and automate workflows across its supply chain.
Below we’ll explain where Solmax’s business was running into roadblocks with legacy software and how the company leveraged new software and a relationship with Microsoft partner DynaTech to deliver on its goals.
“Partnering with DynaTech has been transformative for Solmax. From migrating off a heavily customized legacy platform to deploying a unified Dynamics 365 environment across our global operations, the impact has been felt at every level of the business,” said Mourad Ben Mahmoud, IT Director at Solmax.
Business Growth – and Growing Pains
Solmax’s footprint is impressive: it has 32 legal entities, 10+ manufacturing units, and 19 warehouses operating across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Solmax’s expansion introduced challenges that likely resonate with many growing and acquisitive companies:
CHALLENGE 1: Disconnected systems due to acquisitions, varying regional requirements, and custom software development.
IMPACT: Departments lacked a single source of truth, hindering access to financial and operational insights and requiring manual data consolidation. Silos also resulted in complex sales pricing calculations, as well as gaps in timely material supply and load planning data.
CHALLENGE 2: Lack of real-time visibility into critical data.
IMPACT: Reporting was reactive and out of sync with the most recent data.
CHALLENGE 3: AX 2009 had reached end-of-life status.
IMPACT: Legacy platform introduced security and compliance challenges while heavy customizations rendered the system fragile and disconnected from current processes.
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Finance Optimization
As Solmax mapped out plans to address these challenges and unlock future growth opportunities, it tapped DynaTech as a strategic partner on the strength of the latter’s Finance Optimization Solution, which consists of:
- Process consulting and standardized global templates
- Production planning and scheduling, advanced warehouse management, and procurement automation
- Power Automate for process automation and Power BI for unified reporting;
- Integrations connecting F/SCM with third-party Solmax apps and infrastructure. These included Solmax’s quality control testing machine; third-party transportation management software; and banking systems for automated Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) processes
Outcomes
With F/SCM and the streamlined processes it enables, Solmax has been able to slash the time between dashboard refresh times, reduce freight costs, and eliminate a considerable amount of manual work in its payment lifecycle.
More specifically:
Power BI refreshes now take place at three-hour intervals; the previous time between refreshes was a full day. This translates to improved data visibility and consistent global reporting, positioning Solmax to compete effectively in today’s rapidly changing business climate.
As part of the Dynamics 365 F/SCM implementation, DynaTech implemented Dynamics Transportation Management Solution and integrated TMS with third-party software for carrier execution. Now, the company can automate the building of transportation loads, perform real-time comparison shopping of carrier rates, and optimize transportation routes. As a result, Solmax is utilizing trucks more efficiently to reduce freight costs, reducing penalties, and compressing order-to-shipment cycles.
Dynamics 365 F/SCM was also integrated with its bank’s systems for automated payment processing, which eliminated manual reconciliation and payments in both AP and AR processes. Automated month-end batch processing is now configured to issue customer statements without human intervention. Together, these enhancements streamlined the payment lifecycle for faster invoice clearance, reduced time spent on reconciliation, and improved cash visibility.
“Complex challenges that once required manual workarounds — from production scheduling and quality certification to freight management and banking integration — are now handled by intelligent, automated processes,” Solmax’s Mahmoud said. “The integration with our external TMS has streamlined our transportation planning, while seamless bank connectivity has transformed how we manage AP and AR. Our teams now operate with real-time visibility and confidence.”
DynaTech utilized a phased, multi-track approach to the F&SCM rollout that allowed Solmax to scale globally without compromising regional stability; the approach meant it could deliver continuous improvement as it reached each milestone.
“What makes DynaTech stand out is their ability to deliver at scale without disruption — rapidly rolling out four legal entities every six to eight months across APAC and EMEA, while keeping our AMS operations stable and continuously improving,” Mahmoud said. “They remain our trusted long-term partner for innovation and growth.”
With its Dynamics 365 F&SCM implementation — and its selection of DynaTech to optimize its business processes — Solmax has modernized its business and laid a foundation for the next phase of growth, powered by enhanced visibility, optimized workflows, and modern ERP software.
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