Overview

Ocean Tec, a U.S.-based manufacturer and wholesaler of private label performance UV apparel, is known for its technical precision and commitment to quality. As demand grew, so did the complexity of managing both manufacturing and order fulfillment. By adopting Fishbowl Inventory, Ocean Tec gained the tools to better manage production, track raw materials, and streamline inventory. With ShipExpress added into the workflow, the company eliminated the bottlenecks of QuickBooks’ outdated shipping tools, saving significant time and improving overall efficiency.

Challenge

Ocean Tec’s team faced two major challenges:

  • Manufacturing Complexity: Managing raw materials, builds, and finished goods in QuickBooks was inefficient and prone to errors. Tracking what materials were on hand—and ensuring builds could be completed on time—was difficult without a manufacturing-specific system.
  • Shipping Inefficiency: QuickBooks’ built-in shipping solution required repetitive data entry and slowed fulfillment, creating unnecessary overhead and increasing the risk of mistakes during busy seasons.

Solution

Fishbowl Inventory provided Ocean Tec with the structure they needed to manage the full scope of their manufacturing and inventory operations. Raw materials, assemblies, and finished products are tracked in real time, giving the team confidence in production planning and fulfillment accuracy.

“Fishbowl lets us track every piece of raw material and make sure builds are accurate,” said Jesse Underhill, Chief Operating Officer at Ocean Tec. “That’s something we couldn’t do in QuickBooks.”

When Ocean Tec layered in the ShipExpress integration, they were able to move away from QuickBooks shipping altogether. Orders now flow seamlessly from Fishbowl into shipping carriers, with labels, tracking, and costs updated automatically. “Switching from QuickBooks shipping to ShipExpress through Fishbowl has saved us countless hours,” Jesse noted. “We now get our shipping done in minutes every day.”

Results

Fishbowl gave Ocean Tec manufacturing visibility, while ShipExpress integration delivered fulfillment efficiency:

  • Manufacturing Accuracy: Real-time tracking of raw materials and builds ensures production runs smoothly and orders ship complete.
  • Time Savings in Shipping: Replacing QuickBooks’ shipping tool with ShipExpress cut daily shipping time from hours to minutes.
  • Simplified Workflows: Order, production, inventory, and shipping data are all connected in one system—eliminating duplicate entry.
  • Scalable Growth: With automation in place, Ocean Tec can meet rising demand without adding extra staff.

“Fishbowl gives us the manufacturing visibility we need, and ShipExpress has simplified shipping. Together, they’ve streamlined our whole operation so we can focus on growth.”

Jesse Underhill, Chief Operating Officer