BC Business
SYSPRO supply chain management Vancouver BC
In this promotional feature, BCBusiness examines the importance of B.C. companies' having secure networks and a strategy for supply chain management.
The catastrophic aftermath of natural disasters such as Post-Tropical Cyclone Irene and the recent Japanese tsunami have highlighted the risks of doing business in a globalized world. When world food prices are forced to rise and Japanese car production fields a hefty blow due to parts shortages, business owners have to take note and consider their own supply networks.
Supply chain management has never been as important as it is today, with many firms sourcing their supplies in multiple companies around the world via an often complex web of partnerships and supply chain networks that integrate their activities.
Supply chain management, or SCM, is the strategic overseeing of the flow of goods and services between a company, its suppliers and the customer – helping to synchronize supply and demand and gauge performance. It incorporates acquisition, operations, logistics and I.T., providing value to customers and helping clarify future objectives.
In the dynamic world of SCM, computers have become the real-time nervous system for companies, and most functions – not least inventory and scheduling – are measured and monitored using software. An effective inventory system includes both inventory and scheduling software, as does the innovative enterprise resource planning (ERP), which enables companies to effectively plan ahead.
At the forefront of business software innovation is SYSPRO, helping Canadian companies – and firms globally – meet those often complex SCM needs. Launched in 1978 – and Canada (Vancouver) since 1986 – SYSPRO has built a reputation for rock-solid reliability in developing software which helps small and medium-sized businesses thrive. It was also one of the first software vendors to develop an ERP solution.
The company’s success has fueled its expansion across six continents, and helped it establish solid relationships with more than 1500 channel and support partners worldwide. Today, more than 14,500 companies in 60 countries rely on SYSPRO software to ensure their supply chain management system flows smoothly.
SYSPRO integrates what, for many businesses, are multiple software applications into one, simple unified system. “Simplifying your success – that’s our goal,” says John Fahey, president of SYSPRO Canada. “Through our products and services we aim to help Canadian customers become more productive – do more or make more in less time with less effort.” Fahey says any business wishing to compete effectively must balance customer demand with its ability to supply products in the right quantity and when the customer most needs them. SYSPRO’s tools include the stand-out Requirements Planning system, designed to give a business ‘information visibility.’ “When a business has information visibility across the organization it’s easier for staff to be fully informed and work most efficiently,” Fahey says.
SYSPRO Canada recently released the latest version of its software – SYSPRO 6.1 – which includes hundreds of new enhancements and key features such as Executive Dashboards, Cash Flow Forecasting, Inventory Optimization and Workflow Services.
“The new modules offer our customers additional tools for greater visibility, which leads to better decision-making and greater control,” says Fahey. “All three factors combine to sharpen their competitive edge.”
Fahey says SYSPRO always tries to stay a step or two ahead of its customers’ needs – and prides itself on always delivering a quality product at an affordable price. Many customers have been with SYSPRO since the 1980s, growing and evolving together, and enjoying mutual success.
Canadian company Optech, the global market leader in advanced, laser-based survey systems, is a long-standing SYSPRO user (its technology was at the heart of NASA’s Phoenix Mars mission in 2008). So too, is Natural Factors Nutritional Products, based in Coquitlam, B.C., who teamed up with SYSPRO in 1992.
“We chose SYSPRO’s ERP software for its total supply chain management and financial tracking capabilities,” says Jaime de Sequera, Chief Information Officer for Natural Factors, which produces and distributes millions of tablets and capsules every month. “Without SYSPRO, we couldn’t manage the complexity of a business this size.”
The amalgamation of SYSPRO and .NET also allows Natural Factors to monitor its supply chain network, including tracking the exact shipping status of a FedEx item. “In many respects it’s allowed us to grow in the most efficient manner possible,” says de Sequera.
Fellow SYSPRO customer Atlantic Tube & Steel (AT&S), a steel fabricator based in Mississauga, Ontario, has been using the ERP software since 2007. The firm has to meet rigorous standards to verify product quality and integrity – and says it was a sound decision to enlist SYSPRO’s help.
“Before we transitioned, we were using a DOS-based program with very limited ability to analyze results – it was a dinosaur,” says AT&S‘s controller, Marvin Bavcevic. Implementing SYSPRO has enabled AT&S to fully automate and track its production process. “We’ve joined the 21st century,” says Bavcevic. “In terms of IT, we were barely limping along. Now, with SYSPRO, we’re up and sprinting.” WeighPack Systems, a packaging equipment firm in Quebec, has been a SYSPRO customer since 1995. President and founder Louis Taraborelli loves the fact SYSPRO lets WeighPack know to the penny what a job will cost in advance. “We considered several brands of ERP, but SYSPRO clearly came out on top,” he says. Robert Cotran, VP Technology for Montreal-based printer toner refurbisher Densigraphix, says SYSPRO is an ideal match for companies looking to upgrade their SCM systems. “For companies actively involved in refining their business processes, SYSPRO’s focus on flexibility and integration can open up a world of opportunity.”
To find out more about SYSPRO Canada’s products and services in BC, call their Burnaby branch at: 1-604-451-8889 or visit: canada.syspro.com.