Pretoria-based integrated IT solutions provider ADM Systems has won a contract from Hiconnex of Midrand for the supply, installation and support of Opera II accounting software from the Pegasus suite of manufacturing software from the Systems Union Group plc.
Hiconnex, a specialist in the supply of high-specification connectors, wiring and cabling and the production and supply of coaxial cable assemblies to the aerospace, military and telecommunications industries, holds large stocks of small components and products - as many as 15 000 line items at any one time. The company needed an accounting software solution to replace an outdated DOS-based system that managed debtors and stock with the data then manually transported into a Windows-based accounting package.
"We evaluated three different software solutions and the key people in the company all opted to go with ADM Systems and its Pegasus Opera II offering," said Hiconnex director Hitesh Pema. "Processing was extremely tedious and management reporting very difficult with the old system. Now we can pull data and meaningful reports directly from the Opera II database."
A major problem for Hiconnex with the original DOS software system was difficulty with expediting stock issues. Pema says Opera II is now streamlining stock control processes, eliminating duplication, saving time and boosting operational efficiency.
Most of the components and complete products stocked by Hiconnex are imported from the US and Europe. Pema says establishing full control of so many products from so many different sources over vast distances has always been problematic.
"We will improve control with the Opera II software as it facilitates close tracking of the entire process from order placement to receipt into stock or assembly and delivery to customer."
Opera II processes bills of materials and work in progress and is date driven with automatic flagging of missed deadlines or other hitches. It also pulls together all of the product codes, lot numbers, serial numbers and other detail for swift and accurate tracking of faulty products.
"We can also interrogate the system and quickly process meaningful and detailed progress reports for management," says Pema.
"Such control and tracking of both imported stock and our local assembly process from components is vital. With our supply into the aerospace industry, for example, AOG (aircraft on ground) is a major issue because for every minute an aircraft is grounded waiting for a component, costs are building up. Our customers will therefore also benefit from our software investment."
Hiconnex has been in business for 23 years and its customer base includes Denel, Grintek, ADS, ATE, IST, Reutech and many specialist subcontractors operating in the South African aerospace, military and telecommunications industries.
ADM Systems general manager Anton Carstens says Hiconnex, as the only connectors, wiring and cabling company in South Africa certified by the Defence Supply centre Columbus (DSCC) Military Standard, has unique requirements for financial software because of the complexity of its operations (it assembles some 3 000 different types of connectors to the international MIL specification).
"The DSCC MIL standard is rigorously audited twice a year and is testimony to the specialised capability of Hiconnex. With the Opera II full financial and accounting system and its features designed to streamline management and administration for any mid-market business, ADM will assist Hiconnex to further entrench its leading position in this technically challenging market."
Carstens added that Opera II is a smart accounting package with flexible reporting and analysis functions that put management in full control of the business. Innovative alerting and scheduling tools lift productivity. "It integrates with the uniqueness of each individual business, seamlessly connecting with all departments and catering for growth and expansion through its modular structure."
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