In line with its global drive to boost efficiency and productivity, roofing materials manufacturer, Lafarge Roofing has upgraded its Business Management Solution (BMS) to Sage Enterprise Solutions' CS/3 software suite. Commissioned by Sage integration partner the AST Group, the BMS will replace existing production, sales, distribution and financial systems throughout Lafarge's nationwide roofing operations.
A division of Lafarge, the leading international building materials company, Lafarge Roofing South Africa was created through the acquisition of Coverland Roof Tiles. Today, the company with its South African Head Office in Vereeniging has more than 16 percent share of the local roof cladding market and has manufacturing and sales offices in all major centres throughout the country.
One of the main reasons for upgrading to a new BMS was the demand for a system that could deliver on-the-spot information for fast decision-making. The old flat file-based system, according to Marius Pieters, administration controller at Lafarge Roofing, was creating major problems as information delivery could take anything up to two days.
"Like most companies today we need to react quickly to market dynamics and maintain fast turnaround for stock control, order scheduling and distribution. Additionally, we have to ensure real-time access across our network to financial, payroll, and time and attendance applications."
Lafarge Roofing evaluated a number of BMS solutions before deciding on Sage CS/3. Pieters cites integration with existing applications, scalability and cost-effectiveness as some of the key reasons for the decision.
"We have also decided to go the outsourced route whereby AST Vaal Triangle, a business unit of the AST Group, will be responsible for hosting all our applications and maintaining our nationwide networks - LANs and WAN. And although we own the software, AST will provide a full netcare function monitoring, maintaining and managing our entire infrastructure. This decision is another cost-effective move to ensure we maintain competitiveness and keep abreast of technological developments to enhance our business," notes Pieters.
Anton Chilton, sales manager of AST Abraxas IT Solutions, a business unit of the AST Group, concurs: "This deal is truly representative of the way AST carries out its business of helping clients leverage real and significant business benefit from IT. We have worked in close partnership with Lafarge Roofing right from the start. Evaluating the business and how IT and the Sage CS/3 product could generate real value for the business, we have designed a solution that comprehensively caters for the functional, process and information needs. Further, the outsourcing dimension allows Lafarge Roofing to focus on its core business while we take care of the IT infrastructure, application maintenance and future enhancements."
High on the list of future developments is the inclusion of Sage's MRP and CRM modules and a move to include e-business software predicted to streamline Lafarge Roofing operations even further. In fact, according to Pieters the organisation is currently piloting e-business on an international scale and this is expected to include the local division in the near future.
"Giving our distributors and customers access to our Intranet will allow them to check on availability of stock, place orders and greatly increase our manufacturing scheduling. And from a business-to-business point of view, it will give us the ability to bolster our materials ordering and payment operations."
According to Ashley Ellington, divisional manager at Sage Enterprise Solutions South Africa, Sage is far advanced in the e-business software space. "Our web access and process products enable utilisation of the Sage suite of software via the Internet. Companies can now extend their business processes to collaborate with customers and business partners, and share information with them."
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