Zip-Clip continues to grow

Suspension systems manufacturer moves to Sage 200

13th October 2021

Zip-Clip are manufacturers of high-quality suspension systems designed for speed and ease of use. Founded 17 years ago, the company now has distribution centres all over the world. We spoke to Joint CEO Matthew Clay-Michael, about their continued growth and decision to move to Sage 200.

Zip-Clip’s products have a range of hanging uses from signage, to air conditioning and electrical supports. As well as being popular in seismic locations, the company has seen a huge increase in demand in recent years from supermarket and warehouse builders, thanks to their time-saving fixtures which are five times faster than traditional methods. 

Innovation embedded 

From their humble beginnings in the Welsh borders, Matthew and his business partner Steven Goldsworthy started Zip-Clip with a grant from the Welsh government in 2004. Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength and continues to push the boundaries, this year alone they have doubled in size. Their unwavering focus on the customer is paramount, and as Matthew explains, this is what drives their innovative designs and success. “We've got a research and development department here because product development is one of the key things for us. There's quite a few patent applications going through and new product launches at the moment, so the company is developing and changing all the time. The key thing for us is supporting our customers. A lot of the products that we develop come from providing a solution for our customers, right on a construction site of a major installation.” 

The team have until now been using Sage 50 which it is clear they have outgrown, particularly now as they are moving to a group structure. For Matthew, he wanted a solution that would remove their reliance on Excel spreadsheets and manual processes, adding; “Our decision to upgrade our system stemmed from how Sage 50 was struggling with our high data volumes, along with our need for better reporting and deeper analysis.”

A modern system for a global company

After contacting Sage for advice on the best path forward, the Sage team encouraged Matthew to contact Datel who demonstrated the capabilities of Sage 200. Matthew describes the moment as being, “like a kid in a sweet shop” as he could instantly see the benefits Sage 200 would bring. “What I love about Sage 200 is the reporting system. For the first time we’ll be able to have a profit and loss account by geographical area. We’ll be able to see exactly where we are more cost effective and have much better insight. It’s so good that we’re already talking about expanding the system into other areas of the business. Once we are up and running, the next stage will add barcoding, and stock control management systems. It's not the end of Sage 200 and Datel, it's just the start of it.” 

Zip-Clip has combined this move to Sage 200 in the UK with an upgrade to other systems at their base in Lyon, France - an important distribution centre for EU customers. Currently in scoping, feedback about the process from Matthew and the team has been good, but he’s not in a rush; “We are in a bit of a Covid hangover and I want to set the right pace. We now have an in-house team who will be working with Datel on the implementation so it’s moving forward nicely. We are aligning the year ends of the Group to December and aiming to go live in January - I can't wait”  

It’s an exciting time for the company and we are very proud to partner with them as they continue to grow.