When Assembly Technologies, a North Carolina-based electronics manufacturer, set out to upgrade its operations, the team knew that flexibility, integration, and visibility were non-negotiable. Their ambitious vision of becoming the premier contract manufacturer in the Southeast demanded a technology partner that could keep up with complexity, and evolve with them. That partner turned out to be Odoo.
Founded in 1999 by former Flextronics engineers, Assembly Technologies was born from deep experience in global electronics manufacturing. But instead of competing at massive scale, the company carved its niche in the high-reliability space, serving rail, aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors where precision and trust are paramount.
With over 75 employees and clients ranging from OEMs to final system integrators, Assembly Technologies doesn’t just build components: it becomes the entire manufacturing arm for many of its customers. That full-service approach requires agility, clear coordination, and the ability to manage low-to-mid volume, high-mix production with maximum accuracy.
"Our strength lies in being agile, precise, and customer-focused. We specialize in high-mix, low-to-mid volume production where reliability is critical, and that’s where we lead."
The Roadblocks Before Odoo
Before Odoo, Assembly Technologies operated with Sage 100, a system used only for accounting and materials. While adequate for finance, it lacked the functionality and integration the team needed to manage their increasingly complex operations. Attempts to connect it with third-party PLM platforms like Arena added cost and friction.
They explored other solutions but found that most large ERP systems like SAP or Oracle were expensive, rigid, and resistant to the kind of customization their business required.
"Customization with bigger ERPs is costly, and sometimes they just won’t allow the changes you need. Simply put: those platforms were built for volume, not versatility. Odoo gave us flexibility and usability."
The Platform That Transformed the Playbook
Assembly Technologies first discovered Odoo through a key supplier undergoing its own Odoo implementation. Curious, the team explored demos and quickly recognized the potential of having an integrated platform that could flex to fit their evolving needs. They kicked off their Odoo journey in 2023 and went live by December of that year.
Today, the company uses a full suite of Odoo apps, including Sales, CRM, Accounting, Manufacturing, and PLM, with Maintenance now in the works. They’re slowly building toward a fully integrated ecosystem where every workflow is connected, visible, and responsive:
Engineering Change Efficiency: In electronics manufacturing, rapid engineering changes are the norm. With Odoo’s PLM integrated directly into the ERP, Assembly Technologies manages dozens of design modifications monthly, without skipping a beat. The changes flow seamlessly into BOMs and downstream processes.
Cross-Functional Sales Coordination: The Sales app enables coordination across cross-functional teams. With sales orders centralized, teams from different departments can collaborate more easily and access the same data in real time.
Inventory Transparency: Odoo’s inventory features have made a major impact on visibility and control. Soham highlights the improved traceability and monitoring that allows the company to always know what’s in stock and where it is.
Project Communication Simplified: One of the most appreciated features? Log notes. Instead of sending emails back and forth, team members document project updates within the system, streamlining communication while keeping everything searchable and centralized.
Boosted Operational Visibility: While exact efficiency gains haven’t been quantified, Soham points to a dramatic improvement in transparency across departments. Cross-functional answers come faster, the receiving process is more efficient, and sales execution is sharper, all thanks to interconnected Odoo modules.
"It’s not just about speed: it’s the visibility. Odoo gives us traceability across departments, and that’s changed how we operate."
What’s Next: Smart Factory Ambitions
Assembly Technologies is now entering its next phase: automation. The goal is to build a true Industry 4.0 environment, a smart factory that provides real-time insights from anywhere in the world. That includes implementing Odoo’s work center capabilities to monitor production and inventory as it happens.
The roadmap also includes scaling up their Odoo footprint, further integrating new modules to streamline shop floor operations and enhance responsiveness.
Soham sees technology as the critical lever in reaching their goal of becoming the most advanced contract manufacturer in the Southeast. Odoo is no longer just a system they use, it’s the core of their strategy.
Assembly Technologies’ story offers a powerful lesson for other manufacturers: when agility, traceability, and collaboration are priorities, a customizable and integrated ERP like Odoo can be transformative. Whether you're in electronics, industrials, or high-reliability sectors, the right platform doesn’t just support operations, it elevates them. Ready to take the leap like Assembly Technologies? Discover how Odoo can turn complexity into clarity.
