Building a smarter foundation for growth with Baker Tilly 

Client overview

A UK-based engineering company specializing in maintenance and fabrication services began experiencing growing pains as it expanded its operations. With 14 locations across the UK and a developing presence in the United States, the company reported £144 million in annual revenue in 2022 and set a five-year goal to reach £350 million through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Following a rebrand under new ownership, the company consolidated operations under several core business units and acquired additional firms to support its long-term expansion strategy.

Business challenge

To support scalable growth and simplify integration, the company replaced its legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with IFS Cloud. The initiative was driven by a need to:

• Attract new customers through technology-enabled services
• Improve data visibility for better decision-making
• Standardize operations using a target operating model or common model
• Reduce administrative overhead and increase customer-facing time
• Protect margins by growing without expanding support functions
• Advance its digital transformation journey

Strategy

During the vendor selection process, IFS introduced Baker Tilly as a global systems integration platinum partner, citing its strong track record and experience delivering IFS Cloud solutions within the engineering sector. After Baker Tilly and IFS conducted system demonstrations and internal feedback, the company chose IFS Cloud over Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Baker Tilly was selected as their services partner for five key factors:

1. Proven ERP specialization and success with complex implementations
2. Strong cultural fit with client’s team and operations
3. Process improvement approach aligned to corporate strategic goals
4. Comprehensive IFS services including thoughtful project planning, support and custom solutions
5. Reliable delivery, ensuring quality, timeliness and budget adherence

Solution

The transformation began with three parallel projects. Two focused on rapidly launching customer relationship management (CRM) and human capital management (HCM) tools to meet licensing deadlines. The third and main effort centered on building a unified way of working across the organization, using IFS Cloud as the foundation. Baker Tilly collaborated with stakeholders to design a system that meets practical needs, resulting in a solution that streamlines daily operations and provides ongoing value.

The initial rollout helped the company standardize key processes and improve visibility across the business.

Early wins included:

• Transition from paper-based records to fully digital workflows
• Simplified time tracking and payroll integration
• Real-time insights into costs, revenue and progress
• Reduced manual reporting and improved data accuracy
• Strengthened compliance through automated supplier checks

What’s next

Baker Tilly is recently supported phase 2 of the rollout, which added service and maintenance functionality and will bring 500 new users onboard. Planning for phase 3 is underway, expanding the solution to additional business units, including locations in Scotland.

By embracing a modern ERP platform and a collaborative implementation approach, the company is building a foundation for sustainable growth, operational clarity and continued transformation.

Partner with Baker Tilly for your IFS journey

Baker Tilly’s IFS Solutions team brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience guiding organizations through digital transformations. With a deep understanding of IFS Cloud and a collaborative approach, we help businesses unlock meaningful change—streamlining operations, improving visibility and supporting long-term growth.

From initial planning through implementation and ongoing support, we’re with you every step of the way.

Ready to take the next step?