’Strategic IT offers total solution for Vichiunai’
The world?s largest Surimi producer selects Microsoft DynamicsTM NAV and SI Foodware? from Strategic IT
Etten-Leur, 30 October 2007 - The Lithuanian company Vichiunai markets prepared fish products, and is the world’s largest producer of Surimi. Dirk Belmans, General Manager of Vichiunai Europe in Bruges in Belgium, explains: ‘For our sales office in Bruges we were looking for a way to link our database efficiently and effectively with the head office in Lithuania and with the other manufacturing units.’ Belmans continues: ‘The choice for Microsoft DynamicsTM NAV was made quickly. We were then looking for a partner with knowledge and experience in the food & beverage sector, which we found in Strategic IT.’
The Vichiunai Group
In 1992 the company began by selling and distributing various foodstuffs. It soon became apparent that one particular product was very successful, namely Surimi. This resulted in the Vichiunai Group being established in 1995, starting with the first production line for Surimi. Today 7000 people worldwide work for the Vichiunai Group and there are four manufacturing locations in Estonia, Russia and Lithuania, where the head office is situated.
Total solution
The Vichiunai sales office for Europe is located in Bruges, Belgium. This sales office can work more efficiently and effectively with the head office in Lithuania if the databases are interfaced. Currently the Vichiunai Group works with various computer systems and there are no interfaces with the other offices. Because the head office in Lithuania already has 135 users working with Dynamics NAV, the choice of Dynamics NAV for the Bruges office was made quickly. ‘We then proceeded to look for a partner who understands our business processes and has experience in the food & beverage sector, which we found in Strategic IT.’ Belmans continues: ‘This is because they can offer a total solution and think along with us about the other locations and the future.’
Knowledge and experience in the food and beverage sector
Strategic IT employs specialists with knowledge and experience in the food & beverage sector. In addition Strategic IT offers the SI Foodware add-on that is continually developed and maintained by its Dutch parent company Schouw Informatisering. ‘The advantage of this combination of people and product is that Strategic IT can offer us a total solution,’ explains Belmans. ‘In due time this knowledge and experience and the product will also be used at our head office and at the other locations. In Lithuania we were also looking for a solution to automate the product specifications, because our system of ingredients is rather complex. An interesting additional challenge for Strategic IT.’
Phased project
To make the implementation easier and smoother the project has been broken down into phases. Initially Dynamics NAV and SI Foodware will be implemented at the Bruges offices. The second phase will concentrate on how to best integrate the Belgian database with the Dynamics NAV database in use at the Vichiunai Group offices. This integration will make the SI Foodware functionality available to the whole of the Vichiunai Group. For more information please visit www.vici.lt.