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Africa's leading chemical, fertiliser, explosives manufacturer deploys QAD enterprise applications

QAD Global Services works with Omnia to implement a single ERP solution across its disparate divisions and business locations.

QAD (Nasdaq: QADI), a leading provider of enterprise software and services for global manufacturers, announced today that the Omnia Group, a diversified, specialist chemical services company providing customised solutions in the chemical, mining and agriculture markets, has deployed QAD Enterprise Applications 2009.

In 2007, the Omnia Group embarked on its Quantum Initiative, with the key objectives of improving customer service, gaining operational excellence and lowering the cost of doing business.

“In order to achieve our initiatives, we developed a Business Component Model plan, which helped us look for an ERP solution. Omnia has 1 000 ERP users in 17 countries from three quite different operating divisions that span heavy manufacturing to distribution-intensive operations,” said Noel Fitz-Gibbon, Commercial Director for Omnia. “We needed an ERP solution that was able to support our wide range of functionality in different countries. After an extensive evaluation process, QAD was selected as our preferred ERP partner.”

QAD 2008 EE is designed to meet the ever-changing needs of customers and their employees in highly competitive and fast-moving manufacturing industries across all key functions and geographies. QAD provides a complete set of software, services and support for customers' manufacturing, supply chain and financial operations. The suite is also designed to quickly improve efficiency, whether employees are on the shop floor or at the corporate office, through the use of flexible workflows and automation.

In April 2009, Omnia went live with Phase 1 of the Quantum Initiative, with QAD 2008 EE and Demand Management in a multi-domain/multi-currency environment. The project covered the mining explosives division in seven countries in Africa, the group head office and the international trading division in Mauritius. Fitz-Gibbon commented: “We deployed the full range of functionality in QAD 2008 EE and Demand Management for a very complicated and diverse operational environment, as well as automating transactions between our operations in the different countries and currencies. We were able to do this almost entirely using standard QAD functionality - quite an accomplishment and a tribute to the robustness and flexibility of the QAD solution.”

Key to the applications suite is the emphasis on redefining the user experience. The state-of-the-art QAD .NET user interface is both intuitive and user-friendly and works by combining application flexibility and functional sophistication. “Our users particularly enjoy the new .NET user interface and browser functionality,” commented Fitz-Gibbon.

Omnia has worked closely with QAD Global Services throughout the project. “The support and dedication of the QAD services team was essential in getting us to this position and we expect to gain considerable business benefits in the coming years as QAD enables us to achieve our Quantum Initiative objective,” said Fitz-Gibbon. “We are currently in the process of implementing QAD's Enterprise Asset Management and Business Intelligence solutions in the mining explosives division and the further rollout of QAD to our chemical division.”

“QAD is focused on developing technology solutions that truly impact our customers' business needs,” says Jean-Claude Walravens, Vice-President, EMEA region, QAD. “It is critical that we continue to provide our customers throughout the world with easy to use applications that complement their existing business processes and lead to increased efficiency across the enterprise, including improved cost savings.”

For more information about QAD Enterprise Applications, go to http://www.qad.com.

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Omnia

The Omnia Group has its headquarters in South Africa, but is spread over many countries in Africa and beyond. It comprises a balanced and diversified range of complementary chemical services businesses. The group extracts operational synergies and efficiencies across its businesses. It has been in business since 1953 and is listed in the Chemicals sector of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange, with a market capitalisation of approximately R3 billion ($300 million). For more information about Omnia, visit http://www.omnia.co.za.

QAD

QAD is a leading provider of enterprise applications for global manufacturing companies. QAD applications provide critical functionality for managing manufacturing resources and operations within and beyond the enterprise, enabling global manufacturers to collaborate with their customers, suppliers and partners to make and deliver the right product, at the right cost and at the right time. Manufacturers of automotive, consumer products, electronics, food and beverage, industrial and life science products use QAD applications at approximately 6 100 licensed sites in more than 90 countries and in as many as 27 languages. For more information about QAD, telephone +1 805 684 6614, or visit the QAD at http://www.qad.com.

"QAD" is a registered trademark of QAD Inc. All other products or company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to investors:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbour" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, evolving demand for the company's software products and products that operate with the company's products; the company's ability to sustain licence and service demand; the company's ability to leverage changes in technology; the company's ability to sustain customer renewal rates at current levels; the publication of opinions by industry and financial analysts about the company, its products and technology; the reliability of estimates of transaction and integration costs and benefits; the entry of new competitors or new offerings by existing competitors and the associated announcement of new products and technological advances by them; delays in localising the company's products for new or existing markets; the ability to recruit and retain key personnel; delays in sales as a result of lengthy sales cycles; changes in operating expenses, pricing, timing of new product releases, the method of product distribution or product mix; timely and effective integration of newly acquired businesses; general economic conditions; exchange rate fluctuations; and, the global political environment. In addition, revenue and earnings in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) software industry are subject to fluctuations. Software license revenue, in particular, is subject to variability with a significant proportion of revenue earned in the last month of each quarter. Given the high margins associated with license revenue, modest fluctuations can have a substantial impact on net income. Investors should not use any one quarter's results as a benchmark for future performance. For a more detailed description of the risk factors associated with the company and the industries in which it operates, please refer to the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2008 ended January 31, 2008.

Editorial contacts

Kalindi Multani
Fleishman-Hillard
(+1) 312 932 2806
kalindi.multani@fleishman.com