One integrated solution for locations in Belgium and India
Sourz International selects Strategic IT again for expansion
Antwerp, 14 January 2009 - Recently Strategic IT signed contracts with its client Sourz International to supply the IT solution for the new canning factory they are building in India, Sourz Agri Food Processing. "With the implementation of a single integrated ERP solution we want to support the business processes in the canning factory," explains Marcel Schers, director of Sourz. "Furthermore this system will provide us the means to monitor the processes in India and will enable us to make adjustments more rapidly."
Canning factory
Sourz International is a Belgian company trading in canned products. The products are ordered in Germany, the Netherlands and India and supplied directly to European retailers. Sourz is currently building a new canning factory in India so that it will have its own canning facilities including a warehouse in the future. To equip the new factory with good information systems to support the business processes, Sourz has decided to use the Strategic IT solution. Schers says: "Once again we have chosen the Strategic IT’s solution because their Dutch parent company Schouw Informatisering already has various excellent references in the canning sector." The solution is based on Microsoft Dynamics® NAV and will be combined with SI Foodware®, standard software developed specifically for companies in the food and beverage sector. In addition the Strategic IT team has specific expertise with demand-driven logistics processes, which is an important aspect of a canning factory.
One integrated solution
"Together with Strategic IT we can realise a single integrated solution. This means we can gather and look up all business-related information at one point," Schers explains. "We are convinced that good IT infrastructure and good ERP software are absolutely essential to running a company. So investing in IT is just as important as investing in solid, reliable production machinery". The introduction of Dynamics NAV will enable SI Foodware Sourz to monitor all the logistics activities and have quick access to all the necessary information. Another advantage is that in recent years Microsoft has worked hard on the personalization and user-friendliness of the user interface. This means that each user can work with the system in his or her preferred manner without losing the advantage of structured data processing. The great distance between Belgium and India can now be bridged, because both locations will be able to work in a structured manner in one single integrated solution.
Professional project planning
In order to ensure a successful implementation, Strategic IT is working together with the Indian NAV partner Precision Techconet . The two organisations complement each other: Strategic IT has extensive knowledge and experience in the food & beverage sector and Precision knows all the ins and outs of Indian legislation. In order to maintain grip on the implementation Strategic IT will tackle the project in phases. The Belgian location is now entering the second phase enabling it to be integrated immediately with the canning plant in India. In this phase of the implementation the focal points are transport documentation and quality. "With Dynamics NAV and SI Foodware we want to set an example to the canning industry and demonstrate that a structural approach to work really makes a difference," Schers explains. The canning factory in India is expected to go live on 1 April 2009.
For further information about Sourz International or Strategic IT, please visit the websites: www.sourz-international.com or www.strategicit.be.