INTRODUCTION
Brilliant Group Inc. has been a leader in fluorescent pigments for 18 years, bringing more than three decades of industry expertise through CEO Darren Bianchi and a team of highly specialized technical experts.
Unlike competitors that produce a broad range of pigments, Brilliant Group focuses exclusively on fluorescent pigments, a specialty market with unique application challenges. This singular focus, combined with exceptional technical depth, has established the company as an agile, customer-centric supplier. Rather than forcing customers to adapt to rigid processes, Brilliant Group takes pride in molding its operations to fit its customers’ needs, operating under the philosophy, “We fit into their world versus having them fit into our box.”
As the company continues to grow, it also faces increasing market complexity, including global supply chain disruptions and tariffs that make procurement and planning more challenging. To remain the best supplier it can be, and to continue responding quickly to customer needs, Brilliant Group saw the need for a modern, integrated ERP system.
The Strategic Driver: Why This Implementation Will Succeed
The decision to implement BatchMaster was a strategic choice rooted in General Manager Julia Folk’s commitment to success. Julia, who championed the project, focused on ensuring the new system would genuinely save the team time and energy.
- Focus on the Cost of Inaction (COI): The team recognized the difficulty of measuring traditional ERP ROI, focusing instead on the Cost of Inaction, the high organizational cost of not moving forward. The goal was to achieve a rapid ROI, with the expectation that the team would be thinking, “I wish we did this sooner,” within a year of go-live.
- Freeing Up Expert Time: Manual processes required specialized, difficult-to-find skillsets, leading to excessive time spent manipulating data outside the current system for reports and forecasts. The new ERP is intended to automate these processes, thereby saving the team time and energy.
- Talent and Growth Perspective: The reliance on specialized skillsets created bottlenecks. The new ERP will enable the company to hire and train new team members quickly on a modern, user-friendly platform, fostering team growth and stability.
Selection, Integrated Capabilities, and Competitive Advantage
After a rigorous evaluation process that included engaging eight companies and conducting full demos with five leading vendors, Brilliant Group selected BatchMaster Web ERP.
BatchMaster stood out against competitors for several key reasons:
- Verified Chemical Manufacturing Expertise: BatchMaster was the only vendor that consistently demonstrated a clear understanding of the complexity of chemical manufacturing. Julia noted that BatchMaster personnel could speak directly to their functional needs, such as material process and inventory interaction, because “they work with chemical manufacturers.” This expertise made the system feel the most familiar and easiest to learn.
- Real-Time Tariff Management: The company had previously had to manually manipulate its pricing strategy multiple times as tariffs changed. BatchMaster’s advanced costing piece solves this by allowing the company to quickly adjust factors like loaded and landed costs in real time. This is critical because customers want answers today, not after a delay for manual data work.
- Integrated Quality and BOM: BatchMaster’s predictive planning tools, comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM) management, and integrated Quality Control (QC) functionality were paramount, as these critical processes were previously handled manually and outside the core system.
“We wanted a system that not only fits where we are today, but also where we want to be in the future,” said Julia Folk, General Manager at Brilliant Group. “BatchMaster’s predictive tools and integrated QC and BOM management will help us become a smarter, more customer-focused company.”
Implementation Objectives and Financial Strategy
By adopting BatchMaster Web ERP, Brilliant Group plans to achieve a swift return on investment by creating a foundation for smarter, more responsive operations.
Key Objectives:
- Enhance agility to better align with customer needs and expectations.
- Streamline purchasing and supply chain planning amid global disruptions and tariffs.
- Integrate QC, BOM, and production processes into one cohesive system to save time and improve accuracy.
- Support its mission of being the most agile and customer-focused supplier in the fluorescent pigment industry.
Brilliant Group will retain its current system for Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) due to the accounting team’s familiarity, seamlessly integrating BatchMaster as the cohesive operations and manufacturing management platform.
Looking Ahead
Brilliant Group continues to build its global presence through a strong lineup of trade shows and industry events, including NAPIM, CAD RETEC, ABRAFATI, the K Show in Düsseldorf, the American Coatings Show in Indianapolis, the European Coatings Show in Nuremberg, and Chinacoat.
“BatchMaster Web ERP will give us the tools and insights we need to grow smarter, manage disruptions, and strengthen our ability to deliver specialty pigments with unmatched agility and expertise,” added Folk.
By choosing BatchMaster Web ERP, Brilliant Group Inc. is investing in operational excellence, smarter decision-making, and a future defined by customer-focused growth.
