Iscor Heavy Minerals` (now Ticor South Africa) mine and processing complex in the Richards Bay/Empangeni area of KwaZulu-Natal has seen the successful completion of an integrated business management system and operational management system project by the AST Group.
The integrated systems that were installed at the sites included a SAP R/3 enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, an AspenTech InfoPlus21 Manufacturing Execution System (MES), as well as interfaces to the operational control environment and various contractor-supplied specialist systems.
As prime contractor for the project, AST was responsible for all aspects of the over-all planning, design, building, implementation and/or sub-contracting of the required systems.
"AST offered all the services required by Iscor Heavy Minerals in a complete turnkey solution within agreed timescales," explains Wikus Olivier, AST Programme Manager for the IHM project. "AST provided - and was able to manage - the systems integration from the distributed process control level right through to the SAP business processes."
IHM identified the need for systems that would support its core processes from the business process level to the plant level. "The complete integrated systems enable IHM to plan its sales and production on a business level, and to implement those plans on the manufacturing execution level," adds Olivier.
"The business management system has been developed as an integral part of the business," notes Francois Louw, General Manager Operations at Ticor. "The system gives Ticor South Africa a clear insight into the factors driving the business."
By integrating these systems with the distributed control system (DCS), actual process information recorded at plant level is accessed electronically, comprehensive reporting is generated and distributed to management and analysts. This enables IHM to manage its processes in a timely manner, with maximum data integrity.
AST also implemented an AST-developed Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and a major part of the fully integrated weighbridge system. The installation of the LAN and Campus infrastructure, servers and desktop equipment were also conducted.
"With the aid of AST`s effective and dedicated project team, this greenfields project was, contrary to the history of the majority of IT projects, implemented well within time and budget limits, and this with a very tight budget," concludes Olivier. "The now-deployed integrated systems enables IHM to really exploit the captured data and change it to information that is used to make better informed decisions on all levels."
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In just three years the AST Group has established itself as one of the leading information and communication technology (ICT) companies on the JSE Securities Exchange. Its consistent creation of value for shareholders, clients and employees has resulted in a steady increase in monthly revenue to the R100 million plus mark.
AST is now the fourth largest South African IT company by market capitalisation, and is one of the top three in terms of physical infrastructure (mainframes, servers, desktops, and networks under management) and geographical footprint with over 62 physical locations. Counting almost 90% of the top 100 JSE-listed companies among its clients, the AST Group services mostly large corporate and government clients, but is increasingly offering services to rapidly evolving small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
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