Wisconsin Metal Parts Quotes Faster & Scales Securely with Paperless Parts

Background

Founded in 1988, Wisconsin Metal Parts (WMP) has built a reputation as a trusted one-stop shop for precision metal parts. They offer a wide range of services, including CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, assembly, metal stamping, fiber laser cutting, tool and die making, welding, and more.

In early 2024, WMP merged with Lean Manufacturing Products, both based in Waukesha, WI, to form part of SOLV Metals—a group that also includes QuikCut LLC and Stream Tek. This merger combined complementary metal fabrication operations, allowing the newly formed organization to scale efficiently while offering a comprehensive suite of capabilities.

Challenge

Before adopting Paperless Parts, WMP relied on an ERP system to manage quotes. The process was slow, inconsistent, and heavily manual. Estimators were forced to build each quote from scratch, with complex assemblies sometimes taking up to two days to estimate. As Dave Holzer, Business Development Manager at WMP, recalls, “It was so tedious…everything had to be entered in, and every operation had to be created manually from start to finish.”

WMP’s quoting process also lacked consistency; estimators often produced different quotes for the same job, but without a standardized approach for costing different elements, they couldn’t easily articulate how or why the quotes deviated. This reliance on gut instinct and years of experience made it difficult for newer team members to confidently produce accurate estimates, and there was no backup way of double-checking the numbers to ensure they were correct. This dependence on tribal knowledge and the best guesses of senior staff created bottlenecks and single points of failure.

Tracking RFQs and customer communication posed additional challenges. Quotes were manually converted into PDFs and sent through lengthy email chains, which scattered critical information across multiple platforms. Finding past communications or revisiting previous quotes was frustrating and time-consuming.

Solution

The turning point came in 2020 when an employee introduced the idea of using Paperless Parts after speaking with a local company already using the software.

It didn’t take long for the WMP team to see the value in Paperless Parts after watching their first demo. “The time savings alone made it a no-brainer,” said Dave Holzer, Business Development Manager.

From the second an RFQ is received to the minute an order is placed, Paperless Parts streamlines the quoting process so WMP can operate at maximum efficiency.

Using Paperless Parts, the WMP team can seamlessly upload a model and generate a detailed quote in record time. For PDF-only quotes, the system automatically surfaces key details—material, specs, common process keywords, and more. For assemblies, it automates administrative tasks and centralizes information. Their estimators can now focus on the strategic aspects of quoting rather than hunting down and organizing scattered details.

From there, Paperless Parts integrates directly with WMP’s ERP system, creating a smooth transition from quoting to order entry. “We quote in Paperless Parts, our order entry team reviews it, and then we push it into our ERP—it’s exactly where we want it to be,” Dave shared.

With more aerospace and defense (A&D) work on the horizon, the WMP team needed a solution to meet the strict cybersecurity standards required by their customers serving the Defense Industrial Base. They decided this year to migrate onto Paperless Parts’ Aerospace & Defense Tier, which offers the tools they need to meet stringent CMMC compliance standards with greater confidence and efficiency. “We’ve been working in defense for 18 years, and with CMMC compliance becoming a mandate, we knew we needed a quoting platform that could keep sensitive data secure,” Dave explained.

Beyond the technical benefits, the software has improved internal and customer communication. “We work out of two buildings, and Paperless Parts makes it easy to collaborate remotely,” Dave shared. Customers also love the professional look of their quotes and the ability to respond quickly through the platform. Whether tracking customer feedback or referencing notes from months prior, Paperless Parts centralizes all communication for better clarity and follow-through.

Training new estimators has been another unexpected win. A recent hire with a background in engineering was up to speed in just a week and confidently creating quotes within a month. “I feel comfortable hiring someone with general manufacturing knowledge now,” Dave said. “Even if they’re new, Paperless Parts makes it easy for them to contribute quickly.”

Results

With the help of Paperless Parts, Wisconsin Metal Parts has been able to:

• Quote faster and win more work. Complex assemblies that once took up to two days can now be quoted in hours or less. “For many projects, it’s not about having the lowest price—it’s about being the first to quote,” Dave said. “Paperless Parts has helped us win more work by allowing us to move quickly without sacrificing accuracy.”
• Increase efficiency and prioritize work effectively. “I use Paperless Parts’ analytics tools daily,” Dave explained. “Being able to quickly visualize our quoting data—activity, win rates, dollar values, etc.—helps make our daily standups much more productive and efficient.”
• Scale quote volume without compromising quality. As WMP diversifies its industries and services, Paperless Parts is built to adapt to their evolving needs: “I have no concerns about keeping up with the volume,” says Dave.

Looking ahead, the success WMP has experienced with Paperless Parts has led to growing interest within the SOLV family of shops; 3-4 of their sister companies are now looking into Paperless Parts for their own operations.