Location/Region: Buenos Aires, AR
Industry: Lightweight fixings manufacturing
Installed apps: Maintenance, Employees, Inventory, Studio, Discuss
Company size: 40
Replaced software: Spreadsheets
Hosting type: Odoo Online
Fijaciones PY, an Argentine company with over three decades of experience in the plastics industry, found in Odoo the perfect ally to professionalize and scale its operations. Thanks to the implementation of the Maintenance module, the company completely transformed the way it manages over 200 pieces of equipment, shifting from a reactive model to a preventive and traceable one, optimizing time, resources, and quality.
Based in Buenos Aires and with a team of approximately 40 people, Fijaciones PY is a leader in the production of lightweight nylon fixings (wall plugs or anchors), referred to as tacos, tarugos, or taquetes, depending on the country. Their products are present in over 25 countries, mainly across Latin America, though they also export to the United States and Europe. Their expertise includes not only the design and manufacturing of these fixings but also the creation of the molds used in their production, ensuring full control over quality at every stage of the process.
The story of Fijaciones PY began 35 years ago with the vision of Andrés Vicente, grandfather of Andrés F. Cabrera, the current Plant and Head of Systems. Now in its third generation, the company continues to grow with innovation and commitment. In fact, in 2022, they carried out a historic move: they went from a 1,400 m² facility to a 10,000 m² site, featuring a 3,200 m² production plant that includes technical offices, training rooms, and a new operational standard.
“We are a family business with a global vision. We develop our products from scratch and control every stage, from design to export.”
Before Odoo: the challenge of organization and traceability
As the company grew, one of its major milestones was the decision to obtain ISO 9001 certification. This shift required documenting and standardizing processes that had previously been passed down orally, often from one generation to the next. That’s when the need to systematize maintenance became clear.
Before implementing Odoo, Fijaciones PY managed equipment maintenance using paper forms, spreadsheets, and custom scripts in Google Sheets. “We built our own ‘mini app’ to organize everything,” recalls Andrés. However, this homemade approach, while initially functional, became unsustainable as the number of machines and the maintenance team grew from 2 to 5 people.
The operation required a more robust solution: one that could automatically assign tasks, create tickets, maintain real-time internal communication, and, especially, be accessible from mobile devices.
“With the growth of the plant and the need to meet international standards, the time came to leave behind spreadsheets and look for a professional tool.”
A turning point: solving problems before they escalate
The search for a solution that would consolidate this evolution led Fijaciones PY to discover Odoo. “We arrived at Odoo after evaluating other options, but we saw that it adapted better to our traceability and scalability needs,” Andrés explains. Thus began a digital transformation that marked a clear before and after.
- The module Mantenimiento was the first to be implemented. From there, they began centrally managing preventive maintenance plans, with a complete history of interventions for each piece of equipment. The company now has around 200 registered machines, each with its own routines and service frequency.
- Thanks to Odoo, the team also managed to completely eliminate the use of paper and external spreadsheets. They now assign tasks directly from the platform, can prioritize corrective maintenance tickets, and segment work according to each technician’s role.
The formal adoption of Odoo by the maintenance team marked a turning point in the daily operations of Fijaciones PY. As Cabrera explains, one of the most tangible improvements was the democratization of access to communication channels for all staff, regardless of their department.
“Anyone, from their phone, can open a ticket to report a need, whether it’s fixing a leak or requesting an improvement. That didn’t exist before — you had to figure out who to ask, and often the message got lost in the chain.”
Thanks to the implementation of a centralized and accessible system, requests began to flow with greater order and effectiveness. The traceability offered by Odoo allowed them to leave behind the uncertainty of “I already told you” and replace it with a clear record, where each task has tracking, an assigned responsible person, and a documented resolution.
Besides, over time, a true preventive maintenance program was established. “For years, it was more a wish than a reality,” admits Cabrera. But today, technicians check the scheduled tasks for the day from their cell phones, access manuals and historical failure reports, and solve problems before they become bottlenecks in production.
Results that translate into efficiency
Although translating operational improvements into concrete figures can be complex due to the diversity of tasks and contexts, Andrés estimates that minor tasks that previously took up to four days to resolve can now be solved in one or two.
“Many of those delays were due to lack of communication,” he points out. Today, with centralized information and digitized processes, the maintenance team’s efficiency has improved significantly, both in terms of infrastructure and the industrial processes that directly impact production schedules.
Digitization has also enabled the creation of a robust database that is beginning to bear fruit. “We have now been running all maintenance processes through Odoo for over a year and a half, so we can start making decisions based on real data. How long a machine fails, what types of failures repeat, which interventions were most effective... All of that is documented and is key to continuous improvement,” he explains.
The future: more integration, more value
For the near future, Fijaciones PY has two main lines of work: on one hand, the expansion of its portfolio towards heavy metal fasteners for construction and other complementary products, thus complementing its traditional line of light fasteners; and on the other hand, continuing the digitalization process through new Odoo functionalities.
"We are exploring the Human Resources module to manage our staff internally. We like to do the implementations ourselves because it forces you to understand the system thoroughly, which makes us more independent."
Additionally, the team is evaluating the incorporation of the B2B Sales module, a shopping cart type, after seeing its effectiveness in client companies. This functionality, connected to the ERP, would allow distributors to access their previous orders, reorder, and self-manage their experience with Fijaciones PY.
Cabrera sums it up like this: “Odoo allowed us to stop putting out fires and start working proactively. What comes next is scaling that intelligence to other areas of the business.”
Would you like to transform your company’s management like Fijaciones PY did? Discover how Odoo can help you digitize your processes, improve traceability, and scale your operations efficiently. Contact us today and start your journey toward digital transformation with Odoo.