New Zealands Kapiti Cheeses goes live with MFG/PRO on Linux
Announcement posted by QAD 23 Jan 2003
Collaborative application goes live under five months
Leading New Zealand speciality cheese and ice cream maker, Kapiti Cheeses Ltd recently went live with a comprehensive collaborative application from QAD running on Linux.
Kapiti Cheeses selected MFG/PRO to help manage the growth and improve its efficiencies. The implementation replaced its ageing incumbent software system and introduced state-of-the-art manufacturing, planning and forecasting capabilities.
Since starting business in 1984 Kapiti Cheeses has successfully positioned its brand at the premium end of the specialty cheese and super premium ice cream markets. The products are particularly popular in New Zealand where sales have grown at a double-digit rate since the company was founded. The companys products are also becoming very popular in Australia and the east coast of America.
The 35-user MFG/PRO implementation will assist Kapiti Cheeses in the manufacturing of specialty cheeses that depend on the correct ripening before they can be sent to supermarkets and the hospitality industry clients.
According to Alan Bird, Financial Controller/Supply Manager, Kapiti Cheeses, the company is quite different from other food manufacturers in that it does not seek to reduce inventory.
We believe we will get a reduction in inventory in terms of raw materials in some cases, but for us the challenge is to strike the right stock levels rather than lower stock levels.
And as the process of cutting and wrapping speciality cheeses is still manually-intensive, an improved planning system will allow us to greatly improve our production efficiencies. For example, we anticipate significantly reduced changeovers, increased numbers of like products being processed at the same time and reduced cleanups.
These fundamental efficiency improvements will allow the company to continue its vigorous growth with similar staffing levels. MFG/PRO will play a major role in helping us achieve those goals.
We are already seeing benefits from the system which went live at the end of 2002. MFG/PRO has allowed us to capture more data than ever before. Information such as production records, stock accuracy data and detailed warehousing data is now contained in one integrated system, Mr Bird said.
Kapiti Cheeses had outgrown its 10-year-old CBA system, which did not support a manufacturing module. Over that period Kapiti Cheeses grew from a small business to a medium to large entity enjoying continued strong growth.
The MFG/PRO implementation Sales, Distribution, Manufacturing, Planning, Financials and integrated warehousing used Desktop 2, QADs HTML user interface which gives greater ease of use and flexibility to MFG/PRO users.
Over the next year Kapiti Cheeses plans to upgrade to eB2, introduce EDI and integrate a third party, mobile data capture system that will allow data to be logged in by sales representatives in the field using Palm Pilots.
Kapiti Cheeses selected the QAD solution over competing vendors for functionality fit covering industry specific strengths such as seasonal build facility, forecasting, manufacturing and planning.
In addition, the company was impressed by the close relationship that QAD in New Zealand had formed with the selection team, as this was considered essential for a smooth implementation.
The implementation did not disappoint with all modules going live in 4 and a half months, replacing CBA software running on SCO Unix box with MFG/PRO on Linux as a cost-effective alternative to Unix.
MFG/PRO will run at the companys Paraparaumu headquarters and will be on a LAN connecting the Auckland and Christchurch warehouses.
We are very optimistic about our future growth, particularly in Asia Pacific and the US. A strong collaborative system such as MFG/PRO is an essential tool to help support that growth, Mr Bird concluded.
About Kapiti Cheeses
Only a stone's throw from the island, close to the geographic centre of New Zealand, Kapiti Cheeses is one of New Zealands most innovative and successful cheese and ice cream companies.
Founded by the McCallum and McNaughton families in 1984, Kapiti Cheeses has a vision to craft from New Zealands world famous dairy produce, a truly superb range of speciality cheeses and ice creams.
Today Kapiti Cheeses is a pre-eminent supplier of contemporary fine foods to the world.
About QAD
QAD delivers value through collaborative commerce for manufacturers, empowering enterprises to integrate diverse business processes and increase profitability. Manufacturers of automotive, food and beverage, consumer, electronics, industrial and medical products use QAD applications at more than 5,400 licensed sites in more than 80 countries and in as many as 26 languages. For more information visit the QAD Web site at: www.qad.com.
Australia clients include: Mayne Pharma, Golden Circle Limited, Australian Bakels (Pty) Ltd, Lion Nathan Australia Ltd, Gibbens Industries Pty Ltd, SnapFresh Pty Ltd, Kikkoman Australia Pty Ltd, AMCOR Glass, Day Dawn Pty Ltd, Harvest Freshcuts Pty Ltd, Seeley International, Minelab Electronics, Techno Plas Pty Ltd, and Transitions Optical Pty Ltd.
New Zealand clients include: Kapiti Cheese, Millennium Plastics Ltd, Taura Natural Ingredients Limited, Invitrogen New Zealand, ENZA Foods, Comvita New Zealand Ltd, Nutrimetics Manufacturing, AEP Industries Limited.
Kapiti Cheeses selected MFG/PRO to help manage the growth and improve its efficiencies. The implementation replaced its ageing incumbent software system and introduced state-of-the-art manufacturing, planning and forecasting capabilities.
Since starting business in 1984 Kapiti Cheeses has successfully positioned its brand at the premium end of the specialty cheese and super premium ice cream markets. The products are particularly popular in New Zealand where sales have grown at a double-digit rate since the company was founded. The companys products are also becoming very popular in Australia and the east coast of America.
The 35-user MFG/PRO implementation will assist Kapiti Cheeses in the manufacturing of specialty cheeses that depend on the correct ripening before they can be sent to supermarkets and the hospitality industry clients.
According to Alan Bird, Financial Controller/Supply Manager, Kapiti Cheeses, the company is quite different from other food manufacturers in that it does not seek to reduce inventory.
We believe we will get a reduction in inventory in terms of raw materials in some cases, but for us the challenge is to strike the right stock levels rather than lower stock levels.
And as the process of cutting and wrapping speciality cheeses is still manually-intensive, an improved planning system will allow us to greatly improve our production efficiencies. For example, we anticipate significantly reduced changeovers, increased numbers of like products being processed at the same time and reduced cleanups.
These fundamental efficiency improvements will allow the company to continue its vigorous growth with similar staffing levels. MFG/PRO will play a major role in helping us achieve those goals.
We are already seeing benefits from the system which went live at the end of 2002. MFG/PRO has allowed us to capture more data than ever before. Information such as production records, stock accuracy data and detailed warehousing data is now contained in one integrated system, Mr Bird said.
Kapiti Cheeses had outgrown its 10-year-old CBA system, which did not support a manufacturing module. Over that period Kapiti Cheeses grew from a small business to a medium to large entity enjoying continued strong growth.
The MFG/PRO implementation Sales, Distribution, Manufacturing, Planning, Financials and integrated warehousing used Desktop 2, QADs HTML user interface which gives greater ease of use and flexibility to MFG/PRO users.
Over the next year Kapiti Cheeses plans to upgrade to eB2, introduce EDI and integrate a third party, mobile data capture system that will allow data to be logged in by sales representatives in the field using Palm Pilots.
Kapiti Cheeses selected the QAD solution over competing vendors for functionality fit covering industry specific strengths such as seasonal build facility, forecasting, manufacturing and planning.
In addition, the company was impressed by the close relationship that QAD in New Zealand had formed with the selection team, as this was considered essential for a smooth implementation.
The implementation did not disappoint with all modules going live in 4 and a half months, replacing CBA software running on SCO Unix box with MFG/PRO on Linux as a cost-effective alternative to Unix.
MFG/PRO will run at the companys Paraparaumu headquarters and will be on a LAN connecting the Auckland and Christchurch warehouses.
We are very optimistic about our future growth, particularly in Asia Pacific and the US. A strong collaborative system such as MFG/PRO is an essential tool to help support that growth, Mr Bird concluded.
About Kapiti Cheeses
Only a stone's throw from the island, close to the geographic centre of New Zealand, Kapiti Cheeses is one of New Zealands most innovative and successful cheese and ice cream companies.
Founded by the McCallum and McNaughton families in 1984, Kapiti Cheeses has a vision to craft from New Zealands world famous dairy produce, a truly superb range of speciality cheeses and ice creams.
Today Kapiti Cheeses is a pre-eminent supplier of contemporary fine foods to the world.
About QAD
QAD delivers value through collaborative commerce for manufacturers, empowering enterprises to integrate diverse business processes and increase profitability. Manufacturers of automotive, food and beverage, consumer, electronics, industrial and medical products use QAD applications at more than 5,400 licensed sites in more than 80 countries and in as many as 26 languages. For more information visit the QAD Web site at: www.qad.com.
Australia clients include: Mayne Pharma, Golden Circle Limited, Australian Bakels (Pty) Ltd, Lion Nathan Australia Ltd, Gibbens Industries Pty Ltd, SnapFresh Pty Ltd, Kikkoman Australia Pty Ltd, AMCOR Glass, Day Dawn Pty Ltd, Harvest Freshcuts Pty Ltd, Seeley International, Minelab Electronics, Techno Plas Pty Ltd, and Transitions Optical Pty Ltd.
New Zealand clients include: Kapiti Cheese, Millennium Plastics Ltd, Taura Natural Ingredients Limited, Invitrogen New Zealand, ENZA Foods, Comvita New Zealand Ltd, Nutrimetics Manufacturing, AEP Industries Limited.