Cape-based asset performance management specialist PRAGMA Holdings has defied the global economic slump by recording steady growth in revenue of 100% a year to R40 million, and expects to grow by more than 500% to R250 million a year by 2007.
This has put the company at the forefront of asset performance management in southern Africa, and laid the foundation for dominance of the global asset performance management market.
With 104 employees in offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Australia and Ireland, the company plans to expand into Europe, the US, Canada and the Middle East over the next two years.
Just over 10 years old and with a network of value-added resellers in Canada, the US, Europe, Malaysia, Australia and Zimbabwe, PRAGMA has identified a clear opportunity for itself as one of only four companies in the world whose products integrate maintenance management with performance monitoring.
Recognition of PRAGMA`s position in the market was reinforced with SAP UK`s decision to market AMiP, PRAGMA`s asset management improvement program, as a packaged service for its clients in the UK. The methodology was developed to grow the maturity of the function of asset management within organisations and enhance asset performance.
PRAGMA`s asset performance management system ON KEY APMS has been implemented at 287 clients around the world, while the BURO Service, an outsourced asset management solution designed to provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional in-house maintenance management solutions, has secured contracts with close on 100 factories around SA.
"With world economies under sustained pressure, there is increased emphasis among manufacturers on retaining and maximising rather than replacing assets," says Adriaan Scheeres, MD of PRAGMA Holdings, speaking at the company`s ninth annual conference, held in Stellenbosch and attended by some 160 delegates.
"The APMS enables the increase in output through the effective management of asset availability, production rate and quality rate. Manufacturers are more concerned than ever about the efficiency of their plants, and they are looking directly to the shop floor for solutions."
PRAGMA`s international strategy is to establish a foothold in developed countries and then secure contracts with multinational companies in emerging countries.
"Many companies in First World countries are moving their manufacturing operations to developing countries where labour and operating costs are substantially lower. Ownership and decision-making remain, however, in the First World. By positioning ourselves in specific developed countries, we can establish a reputation of consistently high quality and reliability, with sound references across a diverse geographical spectrum," adds Scheeres.
PRAGMA has implemented its software tools and methodology in more than 120 local and international companies, including De Beers, AngloGold, Nampak, Shell, BP, Unilever, Tongaat Hulett, Parmalat SA, McCain and Tiger Brands.
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