Versaperm, a specialist in packaging test equipment, is launching a new version of its HASS (High Altitude Shipping Simulator) onto the UK and European marketplaces; it fully complies with all relevant European standards and is now CE marked.

The HASS simulates shipping boxes of dry packaged goods, such as cereals, at high altitudes. It gives the controller very flexible options – including the simulated height, the number of high peaks the goods need to fly over, the ramp speed (or rate), and time at the peak.  Results can be fed into a QC system to produce statistical results which allow the manufacturer to spot the first signs of any trends or problems and thus take preventative measures.

Many types of product packaging are liable to burst or leak and thus fail at air-transport elevations and this makes the product unsalable, and potentially even harmful.  The new HASS controller monitors and controls both the vacuum level and rate of change of the vacuum during simulating precise flight conditions.

The system then takes the packaged product through each cycle in sequence, before eventually reducing the pressure back to “ground level”.

The unit’s control system supports testing on up to 200 altitude profiles without reprogramming, each with its own set of configured set points.

Versaperm provides full manufacturing, technical and sales support service, as well as maintenance and repair facilities.

Dotmatics Ltd., a UK-based data management solutions firm, has introduced a version of its Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) tailored to food and beverage industries.

The web-based Studies Notebook for Food and Beverage system was developed in collaboration with representatives from the food processing industry. The product enables food scientists to store and retrieve crucial operational data via PC, laptop and mobile devices.

Scalable solution

According to Dotmatics Ltd. CEO Stephen Gallagher, the partnership with food processing professionals ensures that the program can be improved to fit their needs.

“The Dotmatics platform provides us with the framework to rapidly develop new ELN configurations whilst keeping a consistent data model,” he said. “Through this project we delivered an ELN that makes it easy for users to add their recipes and associated data, search through them and create striking reports that can be shared instantly with colleagues and collaborators.”

Tailored data

The platform upon which the food processing ELN is structured ensures that it is robust, scalability and useful to food processing operations, according to the company. A front-end tailored to food scientists enables them to tailor the system with precisely the data required to annotate recipes and formulations.

The Studies Notebook module can store recipes, documents, spectral information, images and user comments. All of the content contained in the ELN is searchable and can be retrieved safely on demand. Further, the system can help food manufacturers protect their intellectual copyrights and easily access and leverage knowledge accumulated over years of operation.

Food manufacturers can now access a factory performance software system based in the cloud in a move its creator, food and drink operations consultant Coriolis, describes as a world first.

The proprietary software system, MIMO, which stands for ‘minimum in – maximum out’, is designed to help food manufacturers monitor and more effectively improve key factory performance indicators. These include productivity, operational equipment effectiveness (OEE), waste and yields.

“The advantage of having a cloud based system is that the information can be accessed from anywhere and it can be updated via any web-enabled device,” said Mark Schubert, director of UK-based firm Coriolis.

According to Coriolis, the product can be tailored to small start-up taking their first steps in OEE measurement or multinational corporations which require a fully automated multisite reporting system.

Minimal input, maximum output

The system took its name from the fact that it is intended to operate on the principle of minimal input from the manufacturer delivering maximum outputs to the bottom line.

The software can be fully automated and linked directly to production lines and other systems or alternatively data can be inputted through a PC terminal, tablet or any other web enabled device in seconds.

Once installed, in addition to producing the standard daily and weekly production reports the system provides unique product analysis, according to Coriolis. This covers aspects such as product mixture evaluation or providing the true cost of a material by supplier with real-time yields taken into account.

No ’silver bullet’

However, he stressed that the system should not be seen as a ”silver bullet” and was ultimately only as effective as its operators.

To ensure that manufacturers get the best out of the system, Coriolis said it would advise on its implementation, ensure it is integrated with existing management systems and provide on-going staff support.

Infor, provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, has announced that Ahmad Tea of London, an international tea company, has deployed Infor SCE to manage its 10,000 pallet warehouse in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah, UAE. The application is expected to help improve productivity by enhancing information accuracy; reducing human error in picking; increasing the speed of operations and cutting time-intensive paperwork.

Ahmad Tea blends, packs and distributes its own brand of tea to over 70 countries.  Infor SCE is now successfully deployed across all its warehouse operations within Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority (RAKFTZ), for the receipt of raw materials; picking for production; the receipt of finished goods; and the despatch of containers to customers.

Ahmad Tea handles approximately 200 pallets per day (inbound and outbound).  Data capture needs include ERP item tracking numbers and manufacturing / expiry dates. Given the scale of its warehouse operation and the limitations of its existing ERP system, it was clear that a dedicated warehouse management application was required.

Now with the integration of the ERP and SCE applications Ahmad Tea anticipates a number of benefits including: improved information accuracy, reduced picking errors, increased operational speed and less time spent on administration and paperwork.

Infor was selected as Ahmad Tea felt it had the best support infrastructure in the UAE. Infor partner Span was chosen as Ahmad also realised the crucial role of first-class local implementation and support for the project.

Future plans include new applications for generating key documents from SCE, and employing more advanced technologies such as 2D barcoding.

“Our Ras al Khaimah factory is one of the largest tea factories in the region, and we quickly realised that we needed a dedicated warehouse management system to support the smooth running of our operations, and to enable us to maintain the best business processes,” said Dr. Ali Afshar, General Manager, Ahmad Tea UK Ltd.  “Infor SCE was not only the clear choice from a functionality perspective but also because of the excellent support Infor has in the region with Span.”

“International businesses such as Ahmad Tea recognise the need for local knowledge and experience in order to get the very best out of any supply chain investment,” said Kamel El-Ghossaini, regional manager, supply chain solutions, Span Group. “Working with vendors such as Infor enables us to deliver world-class technology with local implementation excellence, resulting in faster time to value for our customers.”

“Global supply chains demand that businesses like Ahmad Tea have the strongest processes in place, throughout all areas of their operations,” said Mike Hibbert, channel manager, MENA Infor.  “In a rapidly growing region like the Middle East, this is all the more important to embed best practices. To do this, businesses need focused applications that are specialised by industry and that can be integrated to accommodate rapid growth.  Combined with the local expertise of Span this is exactly what Infor’s been able to offer Ahmad Tea as they continue to expand in the region.”

 Colombian meat processing giant uses BT Cloud Compute to support growth and compliance.

BT today announced that Friogan, a market-leading Colombian producer and distributor of meat based products and by-products has adopted BT Cloud Compute, an enhanced service that gives organisations the ability to build powerful ‘pay as you go’ cloud solutions that they can access with consistent levels of quality and security wherever they are expanding.

BT Cloud Compute will help Friogan – which has five processing plants located in pastoral areas across Colombia minimise costs and adapt its IT infrastructure quickly and easily to rapidly changing operational needs.

Developed at BT’s research centre in Adastral Park, BT Cloud Compute enables Friogan to consolidate its IT infrastructure by combining its own data centres and private clouds with BT’s global cloud capabilities, providing Friogan the flexibility to tailor its choice of solution to suit changing IT needs. Automated delivery makes it easy for Friogan to launch new services and applications quickly and efficiently, with high levels of choice, flexibility, security and control. BT Cloud Compute’s self-service dashboard gives Friogan the power to constantly monitor and manage its usage and spending.

The deal represents a significant innovation for Friogan and underlines BT’s commitment to Colombia, a key area for its investment in Latin America. BT is currently the only global telecommunications provider offering corporate cloud services based over local infrastructure in Colombia.

Armando Daza Daza, Chairman of Friogan, said: “BT Cloud Compute is a new and very innovative way of addressing many of the issues we are facing when deploying and scaling our IT infrastructure. This deal builds on a very successful collaboration with BT and will help us continue to grow as a business.”

Jacinto Cavestany, vice-president BT Iberia and BT Latin America, BT Global Services said: “The business successes of the future will be in the hands of the agile, the flexible and the responsive. We are very proud that a leader such as Friogan recognises how BT Cloud Compute can help gain that edge and better succeed in rapidly changing market conditions. This shows how BT’s services are increasingly seen as leading the pack in Latin America and around the world. Our innovative technology and the expertise of our local and global teams are fully engaged to connect Friogan with the best possible future.”

With services hosted in more than 45 datacentres around the globe and managed by customers through a transparent self-service dashboard, BT Cloud Compute is designed to help businesses like Friogan meet their stringent compliance requirements and local law and regulatory obligations by letting them decide exactly where they want their sensitive data to be hosted. BT’s cloud infrastructure uses industry standard secure data centres located in Brazil, Colombia, US, UK, Spain, Benelux, France, Italy, Singapore and Hong Kong. This will soon be extended to Germany, China, India, Argentina and Mexico. 

LLamasoft, Inc., the provider of supply chain design software solutions, has announced that Mengniu, one of China’s leading dairy producers, has selected LLamasoft Supply Chain Guru as the primary supply chain design tool for their corporate logistics and production planning team. Mengniu produces milk, yogurt, ice-cream and cheese in 20 production plants located throughout China and is ranked by Rabobank as the 18thlargest dairy producer in the world.

“We have been looking for the right tool for this team for several years and are very happy with the capabilities Supply Chain Guru brings, commented Hu Jun, CIO of Mengniu. “In addition to having the best supply chain optimisation software, we were impressed with LLamasoft’s ability to support and train our staff and their familiarity with SAP systems.”

“We are honoured to be able to support Mengniu and their production and logistics planning team,” added Rengpeng Yue, LLamasoft China Managing Director. “They are a well-recognised brand throughout China and we are eager to help them improve their supply chain design and production planning.”

Pegasus Software, supplier of accounting, business and payroll software, has announced that bread slicing and bagging equipment manufacturer, Ibonhart, has selected its Opera 3 solution.  The Norwich-based manufacturer whose customers include Greggs, Kingsmill and Warburtons, will use Opera 3 to reduce the time it takes from design and bill of materials (BoM) creation to order fulfilment from three weeks to just one.  The solution will improve stock accuracy, reduce risk through automating manual processes, and enhance service levels.

Having come under new ownership four years ago, the management team set about a transformation focused on instilling more efficient processes, greater accuracy and tighter communications across departments.  One of the key challenges was to reduce the time it takes from design to fulfilment as bottlenecks between the design and buying departments were not uncommon.  And while aftersales service levels were already high with 90% of customers receiving parts within 24 hours, the team was keen to improve this further.

Having reviewed the market for a solution to underpin this transformation, the bread equipment manufacturer selected Opera 3 from Pegasus Software. The decision was based on a number of factors, in particular the professionalism and in-depth understanding of the business, processes and project goals demonstrated by Pegasus Software’s partner, Applied Business Computers.  The functionality inherent in Opera 3, as well as value for money were also key to the decision, and previous experience of Opera meant that the team had immense confidence in the solution.

“In order to remain competitive in this market it is important that we continually evolve to better service our global customer base, and ensure that our operations are running at optimum efficiency,” comments Chris Barfe, CEO, Ibonhart.  “Following a review of the business it became clear that in order to meet this end, we needed a system which would automate and improve efficiency across the entire product lifecycle – from design, inventory and manufacture to finance and aftersales service.  Opera 3 is excellent value for money and its capabilities are aligned perfectly to our business goals.”

Infor, provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, has announced that Orthomol, a manufacturer of dietary foods for special medical purposes and food supplements, has implemented Infor M3.  The application replaces various separate solutions for human resource management, accounting and sales and operations planning. With integrated functionality such as Warehouse Mobility, Scheduling Workbench and Demand Planner, Infor M3 will help streamline important production processes and the handling of product lot numbers.

Headquartered in Langenfeld, Orthomol produces vitamin and mineral supplements in different forms of administration. The products are sold exclusively through pharmacies. Since the beginning of the nineties, the company has become the global market leader in dietary foods on the basis of orthomolecular medicine. With increasing success, Orthomol needed new functionality of its ERP software. To date, the manufacturer had used a set of individual systems for human resource management, financial accounting, controlling and reporting. After an intensive selection process, which was supported externally by the Research Institute for Operations Management (FIR eV) of the RWTH Aachen, Orthomol finally decided on Infor M3.

A particular challenge was the lot number handling: Orthomol follows the EU Directive 2011/62/EU. It requires manufacturers to label every product package with a unique serial number which can be traced from production to sales to the consumer. When a customer order is dispatched, the lot number of each package has to be registered and booked together with the order. This enhances product safety and facilitates the tracing of products and even individual packages in case of recalls. To deal with the large amount of lot numbers Infor delivered Infor M3 with a process-oriented configuration matching Orthomol’s processes.

The new software ensures smooth procedures throughout the production and distribution process: Infor M3 automatically establishes logical links and compares data. Another important reason for choosing Infor M3 was its modern and clear user SmartOffice user interface, that enables employees to easily access data.

“We want to continue to grow and develop our business. Hence, we need a complete end-to-end solution for the entire company,” says Dirk Klose, head of IT at Orthomol. “We therefore looked for an integrated standard software for all our processes in production, planning and accounting. With Infor ERP M3 we chose a solution that also meets our requirements for product safety.”

AutoCoding Systems has recently announced a strategic partnership with Shoplogix, leading developer of manufacturing performance management solutions.

Founded in 2002, Shoplogix has its headquarters in Ontario, Canada, with offices in Toronto, Hong Kong and Mexico.  With installations in over 40 countries worldwide, the UK and Ireland is an important geographical area and the partnership will enable AutoCoding Systems to not only support existing Shoplogix customers, but also help to build their customer base.

Experienced systems integrator, AutoCoding Systems, has over 10 years’ experience in the FMCG sector offering automation solutions across packaging line operations. Their products comprise a proven range of modular applications, from entry level coding and packaging integrity solutions through to complete set-up and control of all packaging line devices, such as coders, barcode scanners, labellers, metal detectors, check weighers and vision solutions.  The business benefits offered by AutoCoding Systems’ packaging line solutions include increased speed and reliability of line set-up, reduced job changeover time, reduced risk of human error, and the ability to manage packaging complexities.  The Shoplogix solution, facilitating the visualisation of manufacturing KPI data, is a natural extension of the AutoCoding product.

The Shoplogix solution enables companies to identify and evaluate where problems, performance limitations and constraints exist within their processing and packaging applications.  Their products concentrate on capturing real-time manufacturing data. This is then visualised, via a suite of highly professional reports, to display accurate machine performance information.

AutoCoding Systems recognises that precise and timely information is the first step in achieving a competitive advantage and the Shoplogix solution provides the objective measurements required to optimise any continuous improvement initiative.  The resulting information assists in reducing operating costs and, ultimately, delivers increases in manufacturing profitability.

From 1 March 2013, AutoCoding Systems will be offering support to existing Shoplogix customers in the UK and Ireland.  The partnership will result in benefits on both sides. Existing Shoplogix customers in the UK and Ireland will have a UK presence for both technical support and additional system functionality, whenever required; whilst all AutoCoding Systems’ customers, existing and prospective, will have access to real-time performance management solutions that optimize manufacturing processes to reduce costs and increase profitability.

eBusiness and ERP solutions specialists Emerge Information Technology Ltd (Emerge IT) is expanding to meet the needs of its clients in a variety of manufacturing, distribution and commercial organisations.

The company recently moved into new premises in School Lane, Chandlers Ford, following a property agreement arranged by estate agents Keygrove and Lambert Smith Hampton.

Speaking of the new premises, Phil Nicholls, Managing Director of Emerge said, “The move has doubled the space of our old offices from 1400sq ft to 2800sq ft, enabling us to increase our staff levels, as well as our offerings to our clients.”

The company has recently recruited five new employees bringing their total staff levels to 26 – 18 of which are housed in the new premises in Chandlers Ford.

Emerge IT also has an office in Manchester, which is currently manned by four staff, one in Warwick with three staff and the company will be opening a new office in Exeter by mid-2013.

With a reputation for providing excellent service and long-term commitment to customers’ needs, Emerge has seen extensive growth in its operation in the past decade. Their expertise and core business surrounds the implementation of the Priority midrange ERP system, as well as development of additional functionality in the Priority environment.

As a system, Priority has proved extremely successful in many industries and a diverse range of company sizes. It is this flexibility in Priority that has generated the increased interest in Priority which is driving the need for Emerge to expand its operation.

To find out more about Emerge IT and the Priority midrange ERP system, visit the company’s website at www.emerge-it.co.uk or telephone 0845 230 6740.

Epicor Software Corporation – the business software solutions provider for packaging, manufacturing, distribution, retail and service organizations – has announced that Alexir Packaging Ltd, one of the UK’s leading direct food contact contract packers and carton manufacturers, has selected the Epicor AVP packaging enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to drive business growth and improve productivity.

Alexir Packaging Ltd, a privately owned company, produces approximately 150 million cartons per year, the majority of which is for the UK retail and single use foodservice markets. This is complemented by a specialist cosmetics, toiletries and pharmaceutical packaging service.

Robert Davison, Managing Director at Alexir Packaging Ltd commented, “It was evident that following the recent investments already made we needed a business system that could streamline our operations, increase productivity and provide business critical information to aid us in making informed decisions. The Epicor team understood our business from the outset and the evidence they provided in presentations and at reference sites proved that their solution has the best fit for our requirements.  We’re looking forward to implementing the software and seeing the benefits it brings to our operations.”

Ben Revill, Epicor EMEA Sales Manager for Packaging added, “We are truly excited to be supplying our specialist packaging ERP solution for Alexir Packaging Ltd as our first complete end-to-end implementation of our Epicor AVP suite in the UK. The requirements to innovate in this ever-more competitive sector of consumer packaging in the UK, demands sector specialist business software that will give our customers the edge in productivity and efficiency gains. Their selection reflects our commitment to this market and confirms the superior richness of functionality that Epicor offers for packaging manufacturers.”

Alexir Packaging Ltd first started evaluating the Epicor solution at the European Carton Manufacturers Association conference (ECMA) and went through a rigorous selection process looking at functional, corporate, cultural and proven business fit.  They will be implementing the Epicor AVP ERP suite complete with production manager, advanced planning and scheduling and dashboard modules.

MES Systems Integrator Cimlogic has been selected to provide an OEE System at chewing gum manufacturer, Wrigley in Plymouth

The Wrigley Company, a subsidiary of Mars, may have its origins in the US but says it considers itself just as much a British company. And it has quite a tradition to back this up: Wrigley’s Spearmint gum had its UK launch in 1911; by 1925, business had increased to the point where the company decided to build a UK factory.

MES Systems Integrator Cimlogic has been selected to provide an OEE System at chewing gum manufacturer, Wrigley in Plymouth

Mike Hodge, MD Cimlogic

The Wrigley Company, a subsidiary of Mars, may have its origins in the US but says it considers itself just as much a British company. And it has quite a tradition to back this up: Wrigley’s Spearmint gum had its UK launch in 1911; by 1925, business had increased to the point where the company decided to build a UK factory.

Its first factory opened in Wembley in 1927, after which Wrigleys UK relocated to Plymouth in 1970. The UK branch now employs about 500 people in the UK and Ireland. And not all the gum manufactured in Plymouth is used in the UK – about a fourth of it is exported overseas, which means the UK factory is key to business development in Europe.

Now Cimlogic has secured a project to work with Wrigley, which says it prides itself on delivering continuous improvement and is currently embracing LEAN manufacturing principles.

Cimlogic was established in 1997 and specialises in industrial automation and manufacturing execution systems (MES). In 2009 it received an international award for bringing performance management system, TrakSYS, to the UK market.

Cimlogic was highlighted for its ‘exceptional performance’ after receiving the ‘Certified Implementation Partner’ Award 2009 from Parsec Automation Corp, developer of TrakSYS.

According to Cimlogic it will implement TrakSYS realtime operations and performance management software to measure and improve the efficiency of Wrigley’s production lines as part of the company’s commitment to continually improving people, products and services.

TrakSYS is a ”flexible, scaleable and powerful software application designed to improve managing and executing manufacturing operations”. The company says it’s a suite of integrated and browser-based applications that delivers the collection of aggregate data from multiple sources to provide real-time visibility, along with event management and analytical tools to improve equipment performance and availability, and enables proactive and preemptive control that drives valuable business intelligence.

”We selected Cimlogic to assist us on our LEAN manufacturing journey as we believe they’re perfectly positioned to provide us with the right tools and solutions to improve the standard of visual data in the factory in terms of OEE and waste streams,” said Simon Billett, LEAN TPM Coach at Wrigley.

”In addition we believe this will help us improve our environmental impact through increased understanding of energy usage by asset. We have an ethos of empowering our operators and the easier to see and understand our data is, the more we can use it to compass their involvement”.
Its first factory opened in Wembley in 1927, after which Wrigleys UK relocated to Plymouth in 1970. The UK branch now employs about 500 people in the UK and Ireland. And not all the gum manufactured in Plymouth is used in the UK – about a fourth of it is exported overseas, which means the UK factory is key to business development in Europe.

Now Cimlogic has secured a project to work with Wrigley, which says it prides itself on delivering continuous improvement and is currently embracing LEAN manufacturing principles.

Cimlogic was established in 1997 and specialises in industrial automation and manufacturing execution systems (MES). In 2009 it received an international award for bringing performance management system, TrakSYS, to the UK market.

Cimlogic was highlighted for its ‘exceptional performance’ after receiving the ‘Certified Implementation Partner’ Award 2009 from Parsec Automation Corp, developer of TrakSYS.

According to Cimlogic it will implement TrakSYS realtime operations and performance management software to measure and improve the efficiency of Wrigley’s production lines as part of the company’s commitment to continually improving people, products and services.

TrakSYS is a ”flexible, scaleable and powerful software application designed to improve managing and executing manufacturing operations”. The company says it’s a suite of integrated and browser-based applications that delivers the collection of aggregate data from multiple sources to provide real-time visibility, along with event management and analytical tools to improve equipment performance and availability, and enables proactive and preemptive control that drives valuable business intelligence.

”We selected Cimlogic to assist us on our LEAN manufacturing journey as we believe they’re perfectly positioned to provide us with the right tools and solutions to improve the standard of visual data in the factory in terms of OEE and waste streams,” said Simon Billett, LEAN TPM Coach at Wrigley.

”In addition we believe this will help us improve our environmental impact through increased understanding of energy usage by asset. We have an ethos of empowering our operators and the easier to see and understand our data is, the more we can use it to compass their involvement”.

Belgravium Ltd., the provider of mobile computing solutions to the warehouse, transport & logistics market, has announced the commencement of a significant re-brand initiative.

The company has grown consistently in revenue terms and can list many blue-chip organisations from the logistics and manufacturing sectors amongst its client base. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Belgravium Technologies plc. Other companies within the group, such as TouchStar Technologies (Manchester) also focus on mobile computing solutions and it is this overlap of activities that provides the major catalyst for the re-brand exercise.

Belgravium Technologies has several successful brands within its current portfolio but research conducted in 2011 amongst the existing and potential client base indicated a degree of confusion regarding the multiple branding strategy. Belgravium senior management deemed the issue sufficient to warrant an investigation of re-brand options and the decision was made to adopt the ‘TouchStar’ brand name to underpin all future activities within the logistics and transportation markets for both the Bradford and Manchester-based businesses. The ‘TouchStar’ brand has been utilised for over two decades to promote the organisation’s mobile in-vehicle, tracking and telematics solutions and was favoured primarily because of the level of global recognition it already enjoys.

As of 1 January 2013, ‘Belgravium Ltd’ will transfer to and trade as ‘TouchStar Technologies Ltd’. Mark Hardy, Group Managing Director of Belgravium Technologies elaborates: “The fundamental motivation behind the re-brand initiative is to provide greater clarity of our overall group structure, and the specialisms therein, to our prospective client base. Existing clients can be reassured that the new marketing strategy has not been accompanied by any personnel changes and the staff who have served our logistics client base so effectively over three decades are still in situ. Normal service will be maintained! That said, the re-brand exercise also provides an excellent opportunity for us to extend the profile of the group to wider geographies. ”

The switch to the new ‘TouchStar Technologies’ brand will not officially commence until 1 January 2013.

In conclusion, Mark Hardy stated: “As we operate within a fast moving marketplace, our strategies to address and exploit emerging commercial opportunities will continue to be dynamic. The re-brand activity is a significant component within a number of fresh strategic initiatives which will help us consolidate our position in existing core markets and push into new ones.”

TouchStar Technologies provide sophisticated mobile computing solutions for a diverse range of markets, including warehouse & logistics, transportation & fleet management, field service and fuel distribution. Further details can be found at www.touchstar.co.uk

IT solution provider Prodware has signed a global distribution agreement with software company Preactor. Prodware is an already well-established expert vendor, integrator and host of IT solutions for businesses in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) zone, providing high-quality business solutions and applications for a range of industries. Preactor is a close fit with Prodware’s business model, being a worldwide leader in providing planning and scheduling solutions for all types of industries.

This agreement allows Prodware to strengthen its portfolio of business solutions for small- and mid-size companies, as well as subsidiaries of larger international firms. The Preactor IT scheduling software strongly complements Prodware’s existing offering of solutions, which includes ERP Microsoft Dynamics AX and SAGE ERP X3.

Yann Rambaud, Marketing Director at Prodware, said: “The planning and scheduling solutions from Preactor perfectly complement our ERP solutions for businesses. It is essential for businesses to improve planning in order to make fully-informed manufacturing decisions, improve productivity and reduce their stock of raw materials and components. In a tough economic climate, it is important for our customers to be able to reduce the time it takes for work in progress and each production phase, and also improve reliability while meeting customer deadlines.”

Valérie Goulevitch, Marketing Director at Preactor, said: “We are delighted about this long-term agreement with Prodware. “More than 4,000 customers in over 75 countries already rely on Preactor’s solutions, which are available in 30 different languages. This global solution meets the requirements of businesses perfectly: recognised solutions in planning and scheduling, as well as a demand for excellence in industrial and operational performance. Prodware is a major player in the implementation of ERP solutions, and the association between our two groups will enable our customers to benefit from a unique solution, maximising the value of their ERP systems.”

Anheuser-Busch InBev has expanded its relationship with IBM to make use of the latter’s global supply management capabilities in cloud-based e-sourcing solutions. AB InBev has operations across six geographic zones and manages a portfolio of more than 200 beer brands, holding the number one or number two market position in 19 countries.

In its procurement operations, AB InBev is a leader in embracing and embedding best practices in eSourcing as a way of ensuring process consistency and auditability around the world with its supply base, completing more than 25,000 eAuctions in seven different languages during 2011 alone.

“AB InBev is a focused organization that sees the benefits of strategically managing our supply base globally while recognizing the nuances of each geographic region we serve. Additionally, we continually strive to maintain strong financial discipline in our procurement activities,” says Mark Roberts, global eSourcing center director at AB InBev. “With IBM Emptoris, we have found that perfect supply management mechanism and valued partnership to invest in ideas together, and nurture them for the long-term as we support operations in both developed and emerging markets.”

AB inBev has signed a new five-year contract to extend its use of IBM Emptoris solutions – part of IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative – in the cloud to help streamline supplier sourcing and contract management. Smarter Commerce transforms how companies manage and swiftly adapt to customer and industry trends across procurement, marketing, selling and service processes to address the challenges brought on by the acceleration in online connectivity and speed, combined with the explosion of information and unprecedented access to it. IBM Emptoris solutions enable companies to transform their procurement operations by developing the right procurement strategy that will cut costs and mitigate supply risk.

For AB InBev, that transformation includes utilizing IBM Emptoris Sourcing and Contract Management solutions across their global enterprise to achieve significant breakthroughs in supply chain visibility. In order to achieve its high eAuctions volume, AB InBev has trained more than 250 employees globally in auction strategies, which has resulted in breakthrough activities in Marketing and Media. The organization deployed Emptoris Contract Management globally in under six months. 

“As a truly global organization that manages many thousands of suppliers worldwide, AB InBev is drawing on its global procurement knowledge and best practices while ensuring all vendor relationships and contracts are in full compliance. We are proud to continue helping them raise the bar in strategic supply management,” says Patrick D Quirk, chief executive of IBM Emptoris.

More than 350 Global 2000 companies rely on IBM Emptoris for its strategic spend, supply and contract management solutions.

Now with £12m turnover, 160 employees and landing major deals with supermarket giants nationwide such as Sainsbury’s, Higgidy Pies needed a powerful and flexible solution that could be tailored to their specific business needs and assist in the company’s ambitious growth.

Delivered by Pinnacle, Sage’s ERP solution will enable Higgidy Pies to concentrate on the reason why they created the business in the first place – the food.

Mark Campbell, commercial director of Higgidy Pies commented: “Working with Sage and Pinnacle was a simple choice. Sage offered the solution we needed and it offered an element of flexibility which is essential for our consistent growth. With deals with major retailers, our business needs are constantly changing and growing, Sage and Pinnacle understood this and worked with us to find the right fit.”

With quick implementation and easy adoption, Sage UK’s ERP division works with customers to help them grow at their own speed. Listening to customers, they find an offering that fits the company’s specific business needs, which then grows with brand.

Simply Dynamics, a leading provider of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, today announced that it has implemented an ERP solution for award winning Irish food retailer and distributor Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies. The new system is enabling the company to gain greater visibility and control over the entire production, sales and distribution processes. The contract is valued at €200,000 over 3 years.

Horgans supplies farmhouse and continental cheeses, specialty cooked and fermented meats, antipasti, fresh pasta and other speciality foods to individual delicatessen and speciality outlets, symbol group and major multiples retailers around Ireland, including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn, Marks & Spencer, SuperValu and Aldi. Based in Mitchelstown, Cork, it employs 78 people and has a turnover of €25 million.

Simply Dynamics was chosen to provide an ERP solution based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The new system is enabling Horgan’s to streamline its business processes by automating data collection from order capture to processing purchases, sales and payments.

Horgans needed a modern ERP platform that could easily integrate with its current applications such as its forecasting software which supports the replenishment of stock, its sales analysis and its Nomad hand held system that provides up-to-the-minute information from delivery trucks, the warehouse and field sales representatives.

Using Simply Dynamics’ ERP system, Horgans can share real-time product, pricing, inventory, and invoicing information with all employees. Access to more detailed business data is enabling better capacity and demand planning, and the purchasing and stocking of popular products.

Horgans is also a packer of cheese and the ERP solution is providing it with greater insight to predict stock requirements, take account of sales trends, lead times and seasonality. This information is critical in the production and distribution of perishable goods.

Simply Dynamics has added a customisation to its solution, enabling Horgans to allow catch weight pricing for a significant number of its products. Customer’s place an order for a specified number of a particular food item and during distribution, the actual weight of the product can be captured so the customer can be billed based on this weight.

Horgans now also has an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system to handle orders from all the large retail multiples. EDI makes it easier to exchange information electronically when dealing with customers who purchase large quantities of goods. Sales orders are entered automatically and can be processed faster as the EDI is an integrated part of the Simply Dynamics ERP system. When a shipment message is sent, the customer knows in advance what will be received, resulting in more efficient processing.

Michael Horgan, managing director at Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies said “When we began researching ERP systems we immediately recognised that Microsoft Dynamics NAV was the ideal solution for us. Simply Dynamics has become a great partner due to their obvious expertise and in-depth knowledge of both the product and our industry.

“The Simply Dynamics team was on hand throughout the implementation and since the system has gone live, to support us every step of the way. Their proactive and conscientious approach has ensured ease of adoption of the ERP platform by all our staff and the overall success of this project.”

Gerard Foskin, CEO, Simply Dynamics said, “Horgans is a great example of a growing Irish business in the food industry, operating with very unique requirements. It needs to be able to quickly adapt in order to respond to changing customer demands and capitalise on all new opportunities. The flexibility of our solution allows it to be implemented around specific industry functionality, so it can be tailored to suit companies in the food sector.”

One of Ireland’s oldest indigenous IT services companies System Dynamics plans to create 30 further jobs on the back of revenue growth in the UK market.

Over the past 12 months the company, which has its headquarters in Dublin, added 50 new positions to bring its total headcount to 170 people. By the end of this year it expects to hire 30 more people.

“While the new roles have been introduced across all functions of the business, the main reason for the increase has been the upsurge in the demand for Java and .Net developers,” said Tony McGuire, CEO of System Dynamics.

That demand is reflected in both the Irish and UK IT service business, McGuire said. Since its UK business was started in 2009, the company has built its revenue there to more than €2m to the end of 2011. It is anticipating further growth for this calendar year.

Last year, one of its major customer wins was a 12-month contract with Pernod Ricard in the UK, using experience gained in Ireland’s distribution sector to land the deal.

System Dynamics is implementing a tailored JDE implementation, providing Pernod Ricard with an integrated solution for financials, sales, procurement and inventory, while also integrating it with the drinks maker’s other back-office systems.

In its home market, McGuire has said the company has benefited from a growing trend towards flexible framework agreements in the public and private sectors. In these cases, pre-qualified lists of vendors replace old-style single-supplier tenders for IT projects as organisations look to get better value from IT deals and reduce their reliance on a single provider.

Originally established in 1968, System Dynamics has amassed a client list spanning central government and agencies, local government and the semi-state sector. It has private-sector clients in banking and insurance, utilities, pharma, oil and gas, manufacturing, distribution and transport.

Mobile tech provider Heavey RF has won a €250,000 contract to provide advanced voice warehouse technologies to beverage business Gleeson Group, which makes and distributes Finches, Blossom Hill, Faustino, Bavaria lager and Tipperary Water.

Heavey RF replaced Gleeson Group’s manual system with voice-directed work technology from its long-time partner, Vocollect.

More than 80 end users across various workflows are now able to perform their duties both eyes-free and hands-free, streamlining their tasks and creating a less stressful working environment.

Since going live with the first wave of implementations, Gleeson is already realising a 25pc productivity gain in both its bonded and non-bonded distribution facilities.

Processes have now been standardised throughout the organisation that tackle stringent customs requirements and maintain the necessary restricted access to particular products.

Patrick Tynan, Gleeson Group project manager, said the deployment has resulted in 11.3pc error reduction.

As the sources of competitive advantage become even more connected to technology, the CIO’s contribution to the health and strategic direction of the business is critical like it has never been before. Their role is becoming increasingly complex – not only are CIOs expected to lead innovation efforts and enable technology, in many cases they are expected to achieve this in a cost-constrained environment, doing more with less and delivering top level information strategies.

With fast changing economic realities, European and global markets in the balance, IT decision-makers need to continuously evaluate and plan how they use IT to drive efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction within their organisations.

iQuest’s CIO Summit is designed for those who have a strategic focus on their business and the role that technology plays in their company’s ability to remain competitive in the years ahead.

At the summit CIOs and IT decision-makers can get up to speed on critical business & technology issues ranging from the impact of local economic conditions to the most pressing global trends affecting IT in the enterprise. The summit is designed to help you become a more effective executive, opening doors to new perspectives to help you and your department move forward.Summitsessions are led by peers or industry experts speaking on the following issues:

* The changing role of the CIO: Is the CIO an IT expert or a business executive?

* How CIOs can drive business transformation? What are the key competencies for the CIO to deliver?

* How can CIOs better manage complexity in their organisation and continue to drive and sustain growth?

* Business Intelligence: Data & information management to achieve
competitive advantage

* CIO 2020: Future technology trends shaping the corporate landscape to 2020 & their impact on the CIO’s universe

* Managing IT to maximise ROI

* Cloud Computing – building bridges to new opportunities?

* Transforming IT into a highly valued business partner – Strategies to enable CIOs deliver real value to the business

The CIO Summit is a highly focused “C” level event for Ireland’s IT leaders. The summit is designed to appeal to anyone with a strategic focus on business and the role that technology plays in their organisation’s ability to remain competitive in the coming years. 

For further information visit www.eventznet.com/evx/acs/iquest/cio12/.

Eagle Product Inspection will launch the Eagle Pack 240 XE at Anuga FoodTec 2012 (stand D078, hall 5.2). The Pack 240 XE is a cost-effective, compact x-ray inspection system for contaminant detection, facilitating compliance with international food safety standards and retailer safety guidelines. The system is ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to export packaged products or expand locally. The system operates with Eagle’s SimulTask™ XE inspection software, which provides on-screen self-diagnostics, product imaging and recording to ensure complete traceability throughout the production line and ease of due diligence.

With a compact design and adjustable height, the Eagle Pack 240 XE is easily deployed into existing production lines, often directly replacing existing metal detection systems, without the need for large amounts of added space or additional infrastructure. The system detects and rejects foreign body contaminants such as metal, glass, stone, bone, plastics and rubber in packaged products. The Eagle Pack 240 XE’s detection  sensitivity is uncompromised by packaging type, making it suitable for use with products packed in metalized film, foil, jars, cans and small packages common in the confectionery, bakery, ready meals and dairy sectors.

Preactor International, the world’s leading specialist planning and scheduling Software Company today announced that it has been selected by Wander AG to deliver greatly improved production planning and scheduling efficiencies. The project is being undertaken by advenco Consulting GmbH, the leading German Preactor reseller and is expected to go live in June 2012.

With origins dating back to 1865, Wander AG is now a leading developer and manufacturer of high quality food products including household names such as Ovaltine ®, Caotina ®, Dawa, and Jemalt ®. A subsidiary of Associated British Foods (ABF), one of the largest international food companies in Europe, Wander AG understandably places great importance on high quality, the innovativeness of its products as well as delivering outstanding customer satisfaction. When the company needed to improve its production planning and scheduling capabilities as part of its overall supply chain management strategy, the natural choice was Preactor Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) from Supply Chain Management (SCM) specialist advenco Consulting GmbH. Preactor is already used and trusted elsewhere in the ABF group and with Preactor used in nearly 200 food and beverage companies, 127 in Europe alone, Preactor APS is increasingly recognised as the APS solution of choice in this sector.

Valerie Goulevitch, Head of Global Marketing and Communication for Preactor International, comments on the business win. “Wander AG is a perfect example of a company that needs not just an industry leading solution, but also an implementation with a real depth of industry experience in order to maximise the benefits the solution can deliver.” She continues, “As a QAD Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) user, the company also needs a solution and partner that provides a seamless integration between production planning and its wider ERP and SCM systems. Preactor has a respected relationship with QAD and Preactor partner, advenco Consulting GmbH, is recognised as an expert in Supply Chain Management with strong industry knowledge in the food and drink sector.”

Michael Fatum General Manager of advenco is equally positive. “For a company that places such high value on quality and consistency it is essential that any implementation not only delivers the expected benefits but also does so in a way that does not interrupt the ongoing operations of the business. Preactor has been successfully integrated many times and is widely used in food and drink manufacturers at a European and global level. This combined with our expertise and proven “advenco Consulting method” will ensure that Wander AG will get the very best from its investment in Preactor.”

About Preactor International.

Preactor International is a world leader in production planning and scheduling software used by a wide range of businesses. Frequently integrated with ERP, MES and Supply Chain Management solutions, Preactor’s breakthrough technology is used by more than 3500 small, medium and large multinational companies located in 68 countries. Preactor has established partnerships with more than 400 companies located around the world to provide local expertise to support the implementation of the solution for each company. These 1000+ accredited professionals offer a key resource working closely with users to ensure each company’s unique requirements are met. Preactor offers a family of applications ranging from mid and long term capacity planning to detail scheduling and is translated into 30 languages. With 17 years of expertise in production planning and scheduling technology, 3500 companies as users, more than 10,000 licenses installed and an extensive partner network offering local expertise and support, Preactor International offers global companies with a proven solution and the global resources for the execution of multinational projects.

About advenco Consulting GmbH.

advenco Consulting GmbH delivers high impact solutions to real-time related challenges in the manufacturing and logistics field. Its portfolio incorporates optimizing the Sales & Operations Planning Process to Advanced Planning & Scheduling in order to enable Lean Manufacturing strategies and finally closing the loop by setting up Manufacturing Operations Management instruments like MES and EMI. Customers gain huge returns by vertically integrating the Supply Chain with the shop floor.

Solarsoft Business Systems, a leading provider of enterprise software and IT services to manufacturers worldwide, has announced the latest release of its software for manufacturing execution and production monitoring. Mattec MES Version 8 features a new graphical interface, web-based, real-time production monitoring, enhanced scheduling, and faster reporting.

Solarsoft’s Mattec MES helps manufacturers reduce scrap, waste and machine downtime; improve cycle times, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and plant productivity; and schedule production runs efficiently. As a result, manufacturers improve capacity on existing equipment, and create opportunities to build and sustain efficiency gains within continuous improvement programs.

“Mattec MES Version 8 is the culmination of customer feedback and our continuous goal to help manufacturers improve productivity with meaningful real-time manufacturing insight,” says Andy Amalfitano, General Manager of Solarsoft’s Manufacturing Execution and Intelligence Division. “Mattec MES Version 8 is just one more example of our passion for helping plants and enterprises achieve visibility into their manufacturing performance in order to make better decisions based on accurate information.”

Solarsoft Mattec MES Highlights

* Web-based real-time insight: Real-time production monitoring from your intranet or the internet.

* Visual clarity: Color code R&D, test and other non-production tasks to distinguish from production runs and ensure time is reserved in the schedule.

* Production detail and descriptive information at-a-glance: Users can now quickly see details with as many as four labels for each job in the Scheduler.

* Machine odometer: Maintenance and reliability teams can more accurately plan preventative maintenance activities with easy-to-access machine condition reports and details and answer questions like “How many hours has each machine run since the last scheduled maintenance?”

* Quickly monitor up to 100,000 cycles: The redesigned cycle history chart can be run within seconds, and includes information from the last 100,000 cycles.

* Greater printing flexibility with Ultra Label Gold printer redirect: Users can now add up to two printers per machine with Ultra Label Gold, or use the new on-demand printing module and Zebra for more options for bar-coded label printing.

Solarsoft provides modern enterprise software and IT services to manufacturers, distributors and wholesale businesses in North America, Europe and Asia. The company has grown organically and through acquisition since 1986 and has worldwide revenues of US$100 million. Solarsoft employs more than 400 professionals providing local support across 16 time zones. More than 2,000 companies rely on Solarsoft to bring clarity and efficiency to their daily operations.

DynaSys, European experts in solutions for Demand & Supply Chain Planning, and Preactor, world leader in advanced planning and scheduling software, have signed a new contract with chocolate confectionery manufacturer Lindt & Sprungli France. The company has embarked, according to Vincent Bonnet, its IT Manager, “on a surer integrated system and more functional than we have developed around our ERP”. Vincent stresses the combination of the two solutions, n.SKEP Production Planning of DynaSys and Preactor, which provided them with a wider functional envelope. Interfaced with JD Edwards, the existing ERP, the planning and scheduling solutions will allow Lindt & Sprüngli France to improve in efficiency and agility to support the production of their French plant.

The Challenge

A world market leader in ‘premium’ quality chocolates, Lindt & Sprungli offers a broad selection of products in more than 100 countries throughout the world. The company has 8 production sites in the world including Oloron Sainte-Marie (64) inFrance. This plant produces chocolate bars and Christmas & Easter chocolates. Its customers are essentially mass-market retailing names.

“We have a strong seasonal demand variation. Christmas and Easter are two periods with peak production, which requires us to work 6 to 7 days per week,” comments Vincent Bonnet. “We have also to manage great complexity in our processes. Indeed, the transformation of cocoa broad beans into fine chocolate is a complex manufacturing process involving automated systems for the manufacture of the paste, the mouldings and conditioning. “It was thus necessary, to provide a tool with broad functional cover to provide the possibility of quickly generating a S&OP, and a MPS and then  be able to synchronize them with a scheduling tool.”

He adds: “Today, with the information collected in our ERP we are using Excel ® for planning this but it takes too much time to generate a new S&OP, which constitutes a barrier to our reactivity.”

Decision Making

The French site wished to optimize its production planning in order to better adapt to the new constraints. The key points in choosing DynaSys and Preactor were:

* Security of the function of planner;

* Add profit through better reactivity and thus, effectiveness;

* Optimization of inventory control;

* Generate more relevant S&OP and MPS;

* Direct interface with the existing ERP.

Thierry Faguet, Director of the Preactor European operations, says: “We are delighted to number Lindt & Sprungli among our users for the management of its production and this contract win highlights the synergy with DynaSys and reinforces our strong partnership with them. This new contract confirms the positioning of Preactor in the food and beverage sector with more than 300 accounts already installed.”

Supply chain software specialist BCP (Business Computer Projects) continues to grow its client portfolio with the addition of new client Dimark, who is investing in a 13 user Accord® solution to support its growing cash & carry and delivered trade businesses.

Founded in North London in 2003, Dimark – who also operate a cash & carry business under the name Garden Foods – are the UK’s largest importer and distributor of Polish and Eastern European food and drink products. A rapidly expanding company with a continually widening global product range, Dimark were listed at number 50 in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2009 and at number 30 on the Real Business Hot 100 in 2010.

BCP is one of the UK’s top suppliers of specialist supply chain software to the food and drink wholesale industry. Clients include BWG, Musgrave, SPAR, T Quality and ADM Londis.

Dimark were looking to replace separate systems running their two businesses with a single solution able to manage both operations on a single platform. Critical requirements were for a fully integrated, user-friendly, robust system to support both businesses who share the same stock location, with flexible pricing features to cope with the price sensitive nature of the market and the ability to scale up as the company grows.

BCP beat off strong competition, particularly from other suppliers to win the contract.

The company opted for BCP’s complete Accord® software solution, including Purchasing, Sales Order Management, Stock Control, Telesales and Financial Accounting which will give it a fully integrated system covering all aspects of the business.

Ibrahim Yucesoy, who headed the selection process at Dimark, comments: “We looked at a range of solutions available in the market place, but Accord® outshone other offerings in terms of functionality and flexibility and BCP showed a very clear understanding of our market sector and business requirements. We’re keen to go live as soon as possible so we can start to take advantage of Accord’s outstanding functionality.“

Founded in 1979, Business Computer Projects Ltd (BCP) is a leading systems house specialising in supply chain software solutions and warehouse management systems. Its Accord® systems offer end-to-end, web enabled supply chain solutions for delivered wholesale, cash & carry and retail distribution. Dedicated versions are available for the food and drink sector.

“Frozen food manufacturer goes live with Solarsoft’s Tropos ERP system to improve profitability and productivity, whilst driving down costs”

Glendale Foods, the meat and food processing specialist, has gone live with ERP software from Solarsoft to support the business in its ongoing focus on streamlining processes, improving stock control and increasing overall operational efficiency. Solarsoft’s Tropos solution was selected after stiff competition from several vendors (including SAP) because of its unique position as a specialist ERP solution for the food processing industry, developed in co-operation with its user community to provide “out of the box”, best-in-class functionality for food manufacturers. Using Tropos, Glendale Foods is now able to manufacture its products in more economical quantities, and it has instant access to the key data requirements for food manufacturers.

With an annual turnover of around £11million and over 150 employees, Glendale Foods is a well-established and innovative player within the food processing sector. Its customers range from major food manufacturers and ready meal suppliers to airlines, frozen foodservice distributors and pub & restaurant groups. It also has a presence in retail with its own brands; Yankee snacks, The Great British Pudding Company and Unique Cuisine.

Following a number of acquisitions Glendale has grown over recent years to the point where its management recognised that its previous IT systems were no longer fit for purpose. There was no integration between systems and many processes were paper-based, which created time delays and resulted in a number of inaccuracies. Glendale evaluated offerings from several vendors, but went with Solarsoft’s Tropos because both software and vendor proved the closest match to the needs of a growing food manufacturer.

Paul Burkitt, Managing Director of Glendale Foods, explains, “Having evaluated the market to see what options were available to us, I was very impressed by the fact that Tropos is specifically tailored for the food manufacturing industry. In contrast it would have taken us another 12 to 18 months to develop the same level of functionality in SAP or a similar “generic” ERP offering. Solarsoft really understands the food industry and all the specific requirements and compliance issues that we have, and this is reflected in the Tropos system. Everything is located in a central location, giving us easy access to all necessary data including accurate product costings and real-time details on stock levels.”

Burkitt adds, “A key benefit of Tropos is that we now have highly sophisticated stock management capabilities. We have a vast number of SKUs as we have hundreds of products but Tropos gives us the ability to reduce the level of stock significantly so that we can operate a ‘just-in-time’ model. This allows us to release cash, reduce our costs of storing and monitoring stock, whilst also enabling us to manufacture in more economical quantities.”

Moving forward, Glendale Foods is planning to integrate further business functions into Tropos. In particular, it plans to bring its staff clocking system into Tropos so that it can automatically trace when employees clock in and out and assign the labour budgets accurately.

Burkitt concludes, “I have been really impressed with the service from Solarsoft. The consultancy we have received has been excellent and we have found Solarsoft to be extremely helpful and professional. They worked really hard to make the implementation as smooth and painless as possible. We are very excited about the wealth of opportunities that Tropos will now bring to our business and we are looking forward to having timely and accurate information available to us that will lead to better business decisions and improve our business performance.”

For more information, please visit www.solarsoft.com

K3 AX will be showcasing the latest version of FreshDynamics™ at Berlin’s Fruit Logistica event from 8-10 February 2012.

The event will see more than 2,400 companies from across the entire fresh produce supply chain present in a single location as the leading international exhibition for the fresh produce trade.

Such an opportunity will allow K3 AX, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, to introduce its new software to big global companies as well as small and medium-sized businesses from all over the world.

FreshDynamics™ from K3 AX is a feature rich application designed specifically for the fresh produce sector and based on the leading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, Microsoft Dynamics AX. Microsoft continues to make huge investment in Dynamics AX which is the fastest growing ERP system in the world.

The latest release of FreshDynamics™ adds functionality demanded by the sector such as Grade-Out, Pack-Ahead and Manpower Planning to Dynamics AX’s existing sophisticated planning, management, control and reporting facilities. The system delivers the efficiency boosts and associated operational improvements to simplify Packhouse production processes and operations.

Such software enables produce supply chains to experience a wealth of functionality for packing fruit, vegetables, flowers or other perishable produce by extending beyond the desktop environment to provide for touch-enabled line-side data capture devices in the packhouse and mobile devices for QC and bar coded inventory control.

Featuring Infor10 ION and Workspace, Infor10 PLM Process Provides the Connectivity and Flexibility that Helps Get New Products to Market Faster and Improve Decision Making Capabilities

Infor, a leading provider of business application software serving more than 70,000 customers, today announced an enhanced version of Infor10 PLM Process (Optiva). This next-generation application boasts Infor10 ION and Infor10 Workspace functionality to provide users with a single sign-on screen and flexible middleware that connects all business applications into one unified system. Infor10 PLM Process positions companies for future expansion by enabling integration with Infor and third-party applications, and storing background scripts in a new scripting library, eliminating the need to modify or recode after an upgrade. In addition, PLM Process is now capable of integrating with various SAP applications through Infor10 ION, providing greater connectivity, business process monitoring, data sharing, and enhanced workflows and collaboration across the enterprise.

PLM Process is a market leader in product lifecycle management for process manufacturers, and is used worldwide by companies including Akzo Nobel, Asian Paints, Cargill Flavor Systems, Hormel, Kerry, and Yves Rocher.

News Points

• Infor10 PLM Process offers users the unifying capabilities of Infor10 ION and the consumer-grade user experience of Infor10 Workspace to connect applications in a single, easy-to-use system that simplifies and streamlines business processes, providing users direct access to all relevant, real-time data for faster, more intelligent decision making.
• In many cases, process manufacturers that run SAP applications can now take advantage of packaged integration to PLM Process through Infor10 ION, an open, lightweight middleware platform that provides interoperability and business process management across Infor and non-Infor applications.
• Web client functionality is designed for faster, easier deployment and instant information transfer to facilitate communication between users and suppliers, helping to accelerate productivity in multi-facility or global organizations.

Infor Quote

“Process manufacturers are facing unprecedented pressure to develop products and get them to the marketplace faster,” said Venkat Rajaji, global product manager, PLM, Infor. “By taking advantage of Infor’s leading-edge ION and Workspace technology, as well as a scripting library and web client enablement, Infor10 PLM Process delivers greater speed, agility and collaboration than ever before in the industry.”

Additional Resources
Note: registration may be required to access online content

• Infor10 PLM Process (Optiva) – www.infor.co.uk/product_summary/plm/optiva/
• Infor10 PLM Product Demos – www.infor.co.uk/company/solutiondemos/solutiondemos-plm/
• Join the conversation – www.infor.co.uk/company/socialmedia/

About Infor

Infor is a leading provider of business software and services, helping more than 70,000 customers in 164 countries improve operations and drive growth. To learn more about Infor, please visit www.infor.co.uk.

Solarsoft recently announced that it continues to buck the economic trend through further expansion and growth, including the launch of a third successive year of its graduate recruitment scheme. Since the scheme was launched in 2010, the company has benefited from attracting six talented graduates into permanent employment at Solarsoft.

The scheme has been purposely designed to provide individuals with a specific role within the company; rather than a graduate programme whereby recruits spend a number of weeks moving around the business ‘trialling’ lots of different departments.

Steven Hargreaves, Group Product Director at Solarsoft comments, “At a time when there are very few opportunities available for graduates to start their careers, we are pleased to be able to offer young people a chance to be involved in a growing and successful business. The structure of the scheme means that we as a business benefit from recruiting highly motivated, intelligent and energetic young people into the company and in return they enjoy challenging and interesting work, coupled with great training in an encouraging and positive environment.”

The scheme operates across three business areas, Software Support & Development, Managed Services (Implementation, Project Management & Consultancy) and Business Support to senior management.

Charlie Saunders, Marketing Graduate at Solarsoft and part of the initial scheme in 2010, explains, “The Solarsoft scheme is great and offers the training and personal development that I was looking for all rolled into a permanent job role. I am currently studying for a Charted Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma at evening class, which Solarsoft are not only funding but supporting study time. Marketing is the area where I believe I am best suited and I feel very lucky to have been given such a great career opportunity.”

“The availability and location of the position with Solarsoft proved ideal for me,” explains Jacob Drummond, a Software Engineer based in York. “Their attractive company philosophy both within the job description and at the interview day itself demonstrated a very attractive working environment, with ample opportunity for growth and career progression.”

David Wylie, Software Engineer and another 2010 graduate, adds “The mentor system that Solarsoft provided was helpful in getting me up to speed and pointing me in the right direction. I also really benefited from having somebody that you can discuss your development with.”

Chris Ballingall, further explains, “When I graduated I was worried that the poor economic climate was resulting in fewer jobs and more applicants. The opportunity to join Solarsoft, complete with the training and experience that will enable me to establish my career, was too good to pass and I am really enjoying my time with the company.” Chris has also just been awarded a Solarsoft Extra Mile Award, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the company for providing additional and out of hours support to both internal and external clients over and above his normal remit.

Following its success in 2010, Solarsoft ran another graduate scheme this year, which in September, resulted in the hiring of Rhylan Johnson to the Basingstoke Managed Services team and Richard Catherall who has joined the xVP and New Horizon Development team based in York.

Rhylan Johnson comments on his experiences. “The Solarsoft graduate scheme has been a great way for me to develop the skills I have learned at university and on placement. Support from management has been fantastic, and I am enjoying the varied opportunities that are put my way. Solarsoft is an exciting company to work for. Despite the current economic climate, the business is still growing and I have a great opportunity to play my part in driving the business forward. I am excited at the prospect of continuing my career at Solarsoft.

The Solarsoft Graduate Recruitment Scheme is managed by HotProspects who will be commencing the search for talented graduates in January 2012. This will be followed by an assessment day and interviews. For further information please contact Ryan Gilson at HotProspects at Email: Ryan@hotprospects.org.uk or Tel: 0845 450 5460.

Solarsoft Business Systems supplies modern enterprise software and IT services to manufacturers, distributors and wholesale businesses across North America, Europe and Asia. The company has grown organically and through acquisition since 1986. Over 2,000 companies rely on Solarsoft to bring clarity and efficiency to their daily operations.

Solarsoft delivers systems optimized for specific industries, making them easy to install and easy to use. With features designed by industry experts, Solarsoft products help drive performance in sales, purchasing, finance, inventory and warehouse management, e-commerce and EDI, supply chain logistics and manufacturing resource planning (MRP).

Exel Computer Systems, the leading UK author of integrated business solutions, further cemented its association with Oracle by a successful attendance and participation at the UK Oracle User Group Conference (UKOUG). Comprising over 250 presentations across 51 streams, the UKOUG Conference is the largest UK event for the Oracle Technology and E-Business Suite user communities.

Exel’s EFACS Enterprise ERP, Field Service Management and Mobile CRM solutions were well received and generated considerable interest among the 1500+ attendees. Exel Sales Operations & Marketing Manager Jonathan Orme comments on the conference and the positive feedback. “As an independent software vendor and Oracle Gold Partner, our systems are recognised as market leading solutions and it was positive to meet with so many users focussed on using the best combination of toolsets to deliver the maximum possible benefits for their businesses. We also have a number of users that are making use of the latest class leading Oracle solutions such as Oracle Business Intelligence in conjunction with EFACS Enterprise. This is possible because EFACS Enterprise has been designed from the outset using Java/browser-based architecture that seamlessly integrates with the Oracle Fusion integration layer.”

Exel Computer Systems

Jonathan Orme

+44 115 946 0101

jro@exel.co.uk

A new approach to improving the management of fixed and moving assets by using cloud computing and the Internet has been launched by HMS Industrial Systems

This is in response to the growing demand to monitor and control a wide range of applications and equipment safely and securely.

The web-based remote monitoring system, called Netbiter 3, is a comprehensive family of devices and services. Stuart Hannah, business development manager for HMS says: “One of the great things about Netbiter is it can be used to monitor both fixed and mobile assets 24/7.

“Web-based means it’s viable for any number of local or remote devices from a single asset, such as a PLC or Frequency Inverter, to a complete plant or process, and the inclusion of GPS means location based asset management is also available. In the event of a problem you can instantly receive alarm emails or text messages and check online from anywhere on the Internet.”

Netbiter comprises three main elements: the secure online storage, the gateway communication devices, and the online monitoring tools, and because data is both important and confidential HMS takes security as our first priority”, says Hannah.

“We use an online data centre called Netbiter ARGOS which is backed up at two separate locations. Secure remote access is through multi-level passwords from any Internet enabled device, and firewall friendly communications protocols avoid IT issues at the user’s sites.’’