The Wilson Brown Sock Company has established itself as a highly respected sock brand in its 45-year history, but it didn’t come without a healthy dose of innovation.
Founded in 1979 by Russell Wilson as Pro Feet, the company initially focused on supplying mass merchandise retailers and the US Military.
As time passed and the Pro Feet brand became synonymous with quality and durability, Wilson expanded the business to the team athletic market. This put Pro Feet on the map as a top choice for family-owned sporting goods stores nationwide.
By the time the current President, Callum Brown, joined the team, Pro Feet had built a respected reputation while navigating several financial downturns and widespread industry consolidation.
A New Era Of Business
Callum Brown bought Pro Feet from Russell Wilson in 2012 with Russell’s son, jumpstarting a new era of business for the company. They rebranded to Wilson Brown Sock Company in the following years, adding a fresh coat of paint to their branding and business strategy.
“At the time, the biggest part of the business was in the team athletic space, and we weren’t manufacturing our own products,” Brown recalled. “With the rise in imports, it was easy for anyone to get into the sock business. Things were struggling, and we decided we needed to do something a little different.”
This inspired two significant changes in the way Wilson Brown did business. First, they focused on bringing manufacturing back to US soil, and second, they diversified their products.
That diversification brought about the four brands that now rest under the Wilson Brown umbrella: Pro Feet, WB Workwear, WB Originals, and Brown Dog Hosiery.
New Strategy Means New Systems
In January 2020, Wilson Brown started manufacturing and bought their own machines.
Along with the standard growing pains (not to mention the economic repercussions of COVID-19), Brown discovered their 25-year-old ERP system would no longer cut it.
“It became pretty evident that trying to run everything through our existing ERP while managing raw materials within spreadsheets was not working,” said Brown, “We knew we needed to look for some sort of solution.”
Thus began Brown’s hunt for an ERP system that could handle the new manufacturing demands of the business.
Why Wilson Brown Chose NetSuite
Brown’s primary concern was with the implementation process when selecting an ERP.
“We had heard so many horror stories about difficulties with software implementation,” said Brown. As he shopped around for ERPs, what really stuck out was the disconnect between the consultants he spoke with and the understanding of his business.
“I didn’t have great confidence in the people I was talking to with other options,” admitted Brown. “I got the sense that while they understood the software, they didn’t necessarily understand us as a business. Sure, they may be able to set up the ERP, but would it be the right fit and work in the way we needed it to?”
It was this concern that ultimately led Brown to StratusGreen.
How StratusGreen Made The Difference
When Brown was recommended to StratusGreen by one of his suppliers, he knew their methodology was vastly improved from that of other consultants he had spoken with.
“I felt a great comfort level with StratusGreen,” said Brown. “They were taking the time not just to sell a software but to take care of the business and hold our hand throughout the transition.”
Brown spoke highly of his experience working with StratusGreen. “They are friendly people you don’t mind spending time with. They clearly want to help and get things right. It’s been great.”
Wilson Brown is just in their infancy with NetSuite, but StratusGreen has already helped to recommend tailored solutions for maximizing efficiency.
“They’ve taken a lot of time to clean up our data and rename stock records and styles,” said Brown. They’ve also implemented Paper Street Production Planner, which Brown anticipates to be terrific for the business.
“One of our major challenges was not having visibility into operations. The sales and customer service team often over-committed to product because they didn’t want to turn away business. With NetSuite’s improvements, we’ll simplify business, make our customers much more satisfied, and make life easier for the team,” said Brown.
Similarly, Brown anticipates significant improvements to manufacturing capacity planning.
“One challenge was running out of raw materials and having machines standing,” said Brown. “Now, with the MRP, we won’t run out of yarns because we’ll be alerted. Having this visibility and knowing what machines we’re running, we’ll be able to schedule so much more efficiently and stagger out machine change-overs.”
Looking into the future, Brown waits with excitement and anticipation for upcoming implementations, including an integration with Shopify and the implementation of the Warehouse Management System.
“I certainly recommend NetSuite and StratusGreen to any growing business looking to gain efficiencies,” said Brown.
Level Up Your Manufacturing Processes With StratusGreen
When switching ERPS, StratusGreen recognizes a human approach can make or break your experience. That’s why we pride ourselves on providing tailored solutions delivered by our team of industry experts.
When you partner with StratusGreen, you’ll receive our highest level of respect, knowledge, and understanding, and we’ll always position your business first.
For a customized demo showing how NetSuite can boost your manufacturing business, reach out to a member of the StratusGreen team. We have members across all time zones in North America who will happily hop on a call to discuss your goals!
