Johannesburg, 08 Feb 2011
Synergy Business Intelligence, one of South Africa's largest and most experienced BI companies, has clinched a multimillion-rand, three-year Cognos licence and support agreement with Sika, an international Switzerland-based corporation.
“This transaction is the culmination of a long working relationship between Synergy and Sika, which dates back to 2002,” says Synergy MD, Christo Bredenkamp.
Sika is a globally active specialty chemicals company supplying the building, construction and manufacturing industries with a product line that features high-quality concrete admixtures, specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing materials, structural strengthening systems, industrial flooring, as well as roofing and waterproofing systems.
“From very small beginnings, when Synergy first designed and developed a program to assist local Sika companies to quickly and easily deploy a cost-effective reporting and analysis solution, the relationship has grown to where we are now, Sika's global BI implementer of choice.”
Bredenkamp says the new deal also caters for an upgrade to IBM Cognos 8 and 10, which will put IBM's latest BI technology in the hands of Sika professionals worldwide.
“As a result of this transaction, Synergy has formed a subsidiary company in Switzerland, which gives us a much valued registered presence in Zurich, as well as a springboard for further European BI opportunities,” says Bredenkamp, adding that for nearly a decade, some of Synergy's most senior consultants have done work for Sika in countries such as Turkey, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, China, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Indian and locally, in South Africa.
Bredenkamp says that while South Africa remains the company's primary focus, the latest Sika agreement presents Synergy with the exciting opportunity to explore business opportunities in other European markets.
“What we've learned over the years is that we have some of the best BI skills available, on a par with the most highly rated internationally, and that, from a commercial point of view, it is very attractive for overseas companies to work with us.
“In addition, we place high value on developing long-term relationships with our customers. In this case, we have, over the years, built up a wealth of knowledge of Sika's business and feel we are thus ideally positioned to support their long-term BI strategy.”
Edwin Meier, head of Sika's Service Unit Group Solutions, echoes this sentiment and says that concluding the three-year transaction with Synergy was not only commercially very attractive, but has also further cemented the friendships that have developed over the past nine years.
“We have high regard for Synergy's skills all round and they have proven themselves by deploying BI solutions across international borders for Sika.”
Synergy BI, comprising 75 people, with offices in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, is increasingly looked to by companies to assist them with the formulation and execution of a comprehensive information delivery strategy.
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