Galaxy Insulation & Dry Lining Ltd, an employee-owned business, has established itself as a market-leading insulation supplier since its inception in 2009. Now, with 14 branches across the UK, Galaxy has experienced exponential growth over the past 14 years.
Product naming note: Galaxy originally implemented Intact iQ. The product has since been renamed GenetiQ. Historical product names are retained in customer quotes and references to reflect the customer's experience at the time.
Supporting a fast-growing multi-branch business
Galaxy Insulation & Dry Lining is an employee-owned insulation supplier that has grown significantly since the business was established in 2009.
At the time of the original case study, Galaxy operated 14 branches across the UK, having doubled its branch network from seven since implementing its ERP system.
That growth created increasingly complex requirements around stock control, pricing, reporting and order management, making it important for the business to have a system that could evolve alongside it.
Moving beyond a system that was holding back growth
Following a management buyout in 2018, Galaxy recognised that its existing ERP system was no longer giving the business the information or control it needed.
Important areas including stock control, margin analysis and sales order processing relied heavily on manual work, while limited access to useful business insight made it harder to manage a growing operation.
Galaxy began looking for a more capable ERP platform that could support its existing requirements while giving the business more freedom to adapt processes as those requirements changed.
The flexibility of Intact iQ was a significant factor in the decision. Rather than relying on the software provider for every change, Galaxy wanted greater autonomy to shape the system around the way its teams worked.
Implementing a new ERP during the pandemic
Galaxy transitioned to Intact iQ during the pandemic, adding another layer of complexity to an already significant business change.
Despite those circumstances, Finance Director Paul Lancaster described the transition positively:
“Intact’s intuitive interface and comprehensive on-screen information made it feel as if we’d always been using it”.
For Galaxy, ease of use helped reduce some of the disruption associated with moving to a new ERP system and made it easier for employees to begin working with the new platform.
Giving branch managers better visibility and control
One of the most important changes for Galaxy was the ability to create reporting control desks tailored to the information different users needed.
These on-screen views gave branch managers easier access to relevant operational information, helping them monitor performance and make decisions without relying on lengthy manual reporting processes.
As the business expanded, Galaxy continued to develop new reports, controls and processes around the system rather than treating its original configuration as fixed.
This flexibility became increasingly important as more branches and teams were added.
Improving stock, pricing and order management
GenetiQ also helped Galaxy strengthen processes around stock control, pricing and order management.
The business used the system to improve visibility of stock and manage inventory more effectively across its growing branch network.
Pricing and order-management processes also became more structured, while the ability to develop new reports and controls gave teams greater access to the information needed to manage day-to-day operations.
The original case study describes Galaxy as achieving industry-leading inventory levels. I would retain that claim only if there is evidence or a customer-approved source to support it; otherwise, the stronger and safer story is the improvement in stock control and visibility that Galaxy itself demonstrates.
Accommodating different management styles
As Galaxy acquired other businesses, it also needed to accommodate different ways of managing and reporting performance.
Two distinct management approaches emerged within the wider organisation.
Rather than forcing both groups into exactly the same reporting model, Galaxy used the flexibility of Intact iQ to create reporting suited to each group while still maintaining a consolidated view of the wider business.
Paul explains:
“Intact iQ’s flexibility greatly appealed to us, as it provided the freedom to make changes that we were previously unable to do in other systems. This newfound ability gave us an incredible sense of control over our operations.
With just a few people coming up with ideas and, when needed, the guidance of Intact consultants, we can proactively transform our system, gaining a competitive edge in the market. Intact iQ has truly become a great enabler for us, allowing us to seize growth opportunities without any worries of being held back by the software.”
For Galaxy, that ability to adapt the system around different operational requirements meant growth did not have to come at the expense of visibility or control.
Growing from seven branches to 14
One of the clearest indicators of the role the system has played is the scale of Galaxy's growth.
Between implementing Intact iQ and the original case study, the company's branch network doubled from seven locations to 14.
As the business expanded, the ERP platform continued to accommodate new branches, processes and reporting requirements.
Rather than requiring Galaxy to fundamentally change how it worked each time the organisation evolved, the system gave the team a foundation they could continue adapting.
Giving the business greater autonomy
Galaxy's experience also demonstrates the value the company places on being able to make changes itself.
Branch directors and other users regularly developed ideas for new processes, reports and controls, drawing on consultancy support where required rather than relying on the software provider for every adjustment.
This gave the business more control over how its ERP evolved and allowed improvements to be made in response to changing operational requirements.
A platform Galaxy could continue building on
At the time of the original case study, Galaxy planned to continue extending its use of the system and exploring additional capabilities, including a B2B customer portal.
Paul described his confidence in the platform and the relationship with the team:
“Everything we need Intact iQ to do, it can do. It’s a fabulous piece of software – highly customisable, user-friendly, and seamlessly compatible. I welcome their investment and ongoing improvements in the software, and I have confidence in their strong product roadmap.
As a true advocate, I firmly believe that our partnership will pave the way for mutual success and growth for both companies in the future.”
For Galaxy Insulation & Dry Lining, GenetiQ has provided a flexible foundation for managing a growing multi-branch operation, giving teams greater visibility, autonomy and control while allowing the system to evolve alongside the business.
