Company Overview

For more than 50 years, J.A. Larue has been recognized as a leading manufacturer of high-performance snow removal equipment. Serving municipalities, airports, contractors, and government organizations, the company operates in a highly demanding environment where production schedules, supplier reliability, and inventory availability directly impact customer satisfaction and operational performance.

As supply chains became increasingly complex and volatile, J.A. Larue faced growing pressure to improve procurement efficiency, strengthen supplier collaboration, and gain better visibility into incoming materials.

While the company was already using Infor CloudSuite Industrial (CSI / SyteLine) as its ERP platform, many procurement processes remained heavily dependent on manual communication and follow-up activities. Buyers spent significant amounts of time tracking supplier responses, updating delivery dates, and consolidating information scattered across multiple tools.

To support continued growth and build a more resilient supply chain, J.A. Larue sought a solution that would connect suppliers directly to procurement operations while maintaining full integration with Infor CSI.

The Challenge

Before implementing Axya, supplier collaboration was largely managed through a mix of disconnected communication channels:

• Email

• Excel spreadsheets

• PDF documents

• Microsoft Teams

• Phone calls

Although purchase orders originated in Infor CSI, supplier interactions occurred outside the ERP, creating information silos and requiring extensive manual intervention from procurement teams.

Typical Procurement Workflow

A standard purchase order followed a highly manual process:

1. A buyer created a purchase order in Infor CSI.

2. The order was sent manually to the supplier.

3. The supplier responded by email.

4. Delivery dates were manually updated in the ERP.

5. Buyers followed up repeatedly to confirm commitments.

6. Communications were stored across multiple inboxes, spreadsheets, and documents.

7. Risks and delays were often identified only after significant investigation.

As procurement volumes increased, this process became increasingly difficult to manage efficiently.

Key Business Challenges

Limited Visibility Across the Supply Chain

Buyers lacked real-time insight into supplier commitments and order status. Obtaining accurate information often required searching through email chains or contacting suppliers directly.

Excessive Administrative Work

Procurement professionals were spending valuable time performing repetitive administrative tasks rather than focusing on strategic supplier management, sourcing initiatives, and risk mitigation.

Fragmented Communication

Critical supplier information was spread across multiple platforms, making collaboration difficult and creating dependency on individual buyers’ knowledge.

Delayed Risk Detection

Without centralized visibility, procurement teams often discovered delivery risks too late to take corrective action, increasing the likelihood of production disruptions.

Data Reliability Challenges

Manual ERP updates introduced delays and inconsistencies, limiting confidence in procurement and planning data.

The Solution

J.A. Larue selected Axya to modernize supplier collaboration and create a seamless connection between procurement teams, suppliers, and Infor CSI.

Integrated directly with the ERP, Axya became the central platform for supplier engagement, order tracking, and procurement visibility.

Instead of relying on emails and manual updates, suppliers could interact directly with purchase orders through a shared digital environment where information remained synchronized across all stakeholders.

Core Capabilities Implemented

Supplier Collaboration Portal

Suppliers gained access to a centralized workspace where they could review purchase orders, confirm quantities, communicate updates, and provide delivery commitments.

Automated Purchase Order Tracking

Order acknowledgements, status updates, and delivery commitments are captured automatically, eliminating the need for manual follow-up and data entry.

Real-Time ERP Synchronization

Supplier updates flow directly into Infor CSI, ensuring procurement and planning teams always work with current information.

Centralized Communication

Every conversation, update, and supplier response is linked directly to the relevant purchase order, creating a complete audit trail and a single source of truth.

Proactive Risk Management

Procurement teams receive early visibility into potential delays and supply risks, enabling faster intervention before issues affect production.

Driving Adoption Across the Supply Base

A critical component of the project’s success was supplier adoption.

By providing suppliers with a simple and intuitive platform for responding to purchase orders and communicating delivery commitments, J.A. Larue was able to establish a more collaborative and transparent relationship with its supply network.

Within approximately one year of implementation, Axya became an integral part of daily procurement operations.

Monthly Platform Activity

These figures demonstrate strong supplier engagement and a substantial reduction in manual administrative work.

Business Results

1. 60% Reduction in Purchase Order Management Time

One of the most significant outcomes was the reduction in time buyers spent managing purchase orders.

Activities that previously required manual emails, phone calls, and ERP updates became largely automated through Axya.

Result: 60% reduction in purchase order management time.

Business Impact:

• More time dedicated to supplier development.

• Increased focus on sourcing and cost optimization.

• Improved responsiveness to supply chain disruptions.

• Greater productivity without increasing procurement headcount.

2. 25% Reduction in Late Deliveries

By improving supplier accountability and providing real-time visibility into delivery commitments, J.A. Larue was able to identify risks earlier and act before delays affected production schedules.

Result: 25% reduction in late deliveries.

Business Impact:

• Improved production planning accuracy.

• Reduced operational disruptions.

• Greater confidence in material availability.

• Better customer delivery performance.

3. Complete Visibility Into Supplier Activity

Instead of relying on fragmented communication channels, procurement teams gained access to a centralized view of every supplier interaction.

With approximately 1,700 supplier communications tracked every month, buyers can quickly access historical conversations, commitments, and order updates without searching through email threads.

Result: A single source of truth for supplier collaboration.

Business Impact:

• Faster decision-making.

• Improved team collaboration.

• Reduced dependency on individual buyers.

• Better supplier performance monitoring.

4. Improved ERP Data Accuracy and Reliability

Accurate procurement data is essential for planning, inventory management, and production scheduling.

Through automated synchronization between Axya and Infor CSI, supplier confirmations and delivery updates are reflected directly in the ERP.

Result: 90% improvement in ERP order data reliability.

Business Impact:

• More accurate planning data.

• Better inventory management.

• Improved forecasting.

• Increased confidence in operational reporting.

Operational Transformation

The implementation of Axya fundamentally improved the way J.A. Larue manages supplier relationships and procurement execution.

Customer Perspective

According to William Larue, Procurement Supervisor at J.A. Larue:

“Before Axya, we relied on emails. We had to reply to emails and manage a shared inbox across the entire team. With Axya, you can immediately see what’s at risk and which orders are running late. Everything is visible. Anyone on the team can step in and do the job more easily.”

He also highlighted the quality of the implementation experience:

“I worked with Nathaniel at Axya, and the experience went really well. If there was ever a small technical issue, they would get back to us in less than 24 hours and resolve it quickly.”

Key Takeaways

J.A. Larue’s transformation demonstrates that procurement modernization extends far beyond process automation.

The greatest value comes from creating a connected ecosystem where suppliers, buyers, and ERP systems operate from the same source of information.

By digitizing supplier collaboration and automating procurement workflows, J.A. Larue improved operational efficiency, strengthened supplier engagement, and gained the visibility required to manage supply chain uncertainty with greater confidence.

Outcomes Delivered

✔ 60% less time spent managing purchase orders

✔ 25% reduction in late deliveries

✔ 90% improvement in ERP order data reliability

✔ ~3,000 ERP updates automated every month

✔ ~1,700 supplier communications tracked every month

✔ ~1,057 purchase orders managed through Axya every month

Conclusion

By integrating Axya with Infor CloudSuite Industrial, J.A. Larue transformed procurement from a reactive, manually intensive function into a connected, data-driven operation.

The company now benefits from greater supply chain visibility, stronger supplier collaboration, improved delivery performance, and significantly reduced administrative workload.

Most importantly, procurement teams can focus less on chasing information and more on driving strategic value across the supply chain.