AST ERP Solutions prepares Zincor for the future

AST ERP Solutions, a division of Advanced Software Technologies-Abraxas (AST-A), recently completed the implementation of SAP R/3 for Zincor, one of the largest zinc manufacturers in South Africa. The success of this project once more confirms the effectiveness of the highly successful "Big-Bang" strategy that the group originated and implemented for the first time at ISCOR.

The Zincor project, with a contract value of R8.5 million, provided for a staff of approximately 800 employees and catered for the total spectrum of SAP R/3 across the board, including a Human Resources element, Document Management Systems, Work Flow and Archiving.

"Zincor`s drive to implement an ERP product came from the fact that their information systems were fragmented and not Y2K compliant," says Pieter Boshoff, General Manager of AST ERP Solutions.

"The seven month project, including one month of support, was completed on time and within budget to the satisfaction of the client," adds Boshoff. "The completion of such an ambitious project depended on outstanding project management and the full commitment of each team member under extremely demanding circumstances."

Boshoff explains that those factors on their own would not have been enough without the full co-operation of our clients at both management and grass roots level. It was because we were able to combine all these essential elements that we were able to accomplish this large and complex undertaking so successfully.

"AST ERP Solutions` professional support has created a firm platform for us to build a world class information system, which will be used to exploit and improve Zincor`s performance " says Ernst Venter, MD of Zincor. "Now comes the most important phase, to extract the powerful capabilities of the implemented SAP system."

Interfaces were developed, by AST ERP Solutions, according to the weigh-bridge, Laboratory Information and Bar Coding system as part of the implementation to control the sales of production stock. The Simulation Training Tool (STT) was also utilised by AST ERP Solutions for training of Zincor end users with great success.

An essential part of this implementation was the help desk services delivered by AST Service Desk Services, who were sub-contracted by AST ERP Solutions. During a six-week period 1070 logs were handled, which helped in the successful SAP R/3 implementation and necessary culture change. The help desk is being continued at AST Service Desk Services` offices in Pretoria.