MaXXflow is a new software product designed to help bring planning, procurement, inventory, scheduling and production into one place, so manufacturers can see risk early, make faster decisions and keep moving.
It was launched earlier this year and has been greatly received by industry - especially the SME sector, which has been crying out for a product designed with them in mind. Industry Update sat down with Central Innovation's Damien Davis, GM of Data Solutions, and Chatura Elkaduwa, Head of Technical and Product, to talk through the product.
For readers who are new to MaXXflow, what it is, and what problem is it designed to solve for manufacturers and other SMEs running a complex supply chain?
Damien: MaXXflow is an AI enabled MRP built for SMEs that have outgrown spreadsheets and disconnected tools. It brings planning, purchasing, production and delivery into one live operating system, so teams can make faster decisions, to reduce waste and keep supply chains moving.
A lot of smaller and mid-sized operators are still managing planning, purchasing, stock and production through a mix of spreadsheets, finance systems and workarounds. What approach usually cost them in real terms?
Damien: The real cost is hidden in missed buys, excess stock, late jobs, manual rework and poor visibility. Businesses often accept these as normal issues to deal with, but it drains cash, margin and management time while making growth harder than it should be.
How does MaXXflow actually work across the day-to-day flow of the business, from planning and procurement through to inventory, scheduling, production and delivery?
Chatura: MaXXflow connects the daily workflow end to end: sales demand and planning feed procurement, inventory and production; schedules update in real time; barcode actions and dashboards keep stock, work orders and delivery status visible. The goal is one live source of truth across the operation.
MaXXflow is described as an AI-enabled MRP. In practical terms, what does that mean for the people using it, and where does the AI make the biggest difference?
Chatura: AI in MaXXflow is about better decisions, not gimmicks. It is designed to surface risks, exceptions and recommendations earlier, so users spend less time searching and more time acting, especially around replenishment, bottlenecks, scheduling and operational priorities.
What kind of business is MaXXflow best suited for? Are there particular signs that tell an SME it has outgrown its current systems and should be looking at something like this now?
Damien: It suits product-based SMEs with multiple SKUs, BOMs, work orders, variable lead times or supplier complexity. If teams are relying on spreadsheets, double-handling soiled knowledge to keep orders on track, they have probably outgrown their current setup.
There are already a lot of systems in the market that claim to help with operations and inventory. What have you built into MaXXflow specifically for SMEs with complex supply chains that you think has been missing?
Chatura: We built MaXXflow for the messy middle: businesses too complex for basic inventory tools, but undeserved by enterprise platforms. What often is practical control - live visibility across stock, manufacturing orders, barcode operations, work centers, exceptions and performance in one system people actually use.
MaXXflow has Australian Made certification. Why was that important to achieve, and what does a locally built MRP product mean in practice for Australian manufacturers?
Damien: Australian Made mattered because SMEs in Australia want software that understands their environment and is backed close to home. It signals commitment: this is built here, for this market, with local support, local insight, and accountability.
When you say MaXXflow is built for Australian conditions, what does that look like in reality for businesses using it day-to-day?
Chatura: Built for Australian conditions means fitting the realities of local supply chains - distance, imports, variable freight, lean teams and the need to move quickly. Technically, that means configurable workflows, strong traceability, audit trails and operational visibility without enterprise-level overhead.
Why should businesses get involved early rather than waiting until the product is fully established in market? What is the advantage of joining the journey now?
Damien: Early adopters get more than software; they get influence. They can help shape features, workflows and priorities with us while gaining an operational platform designed to support growth. For us, launch is not the finish line; it is the start of a strong customer-led roadmap.
This is a big year for trade events and industry activity. What role do face-to-face events still play in launching a product like MaXXflow, and what can people expect from your activations this year?
Damien: Face-to-face still matters because SMEs want to see the product, challenge it and relate it to their own operations. This year our activations will be hands-on, practical and energetic, showing MaXXflow in action and why we are genuinely excited to bring it to market. It's everything you need, and none of what you don't!
Originally printed in Industry Update, Issue 148 - Apr/May 2026