Business-focused systems attracting the savvy

Enterprise software vendor Geac is reporting considerable uptake of its System 21 Aurora, released 12 months ago – with over 20 projects underway or completed, and a further “50 to 70 expressing serious interest”. Implementations are in what Geac describes as its niches within niches – notably white goods, consumer products, fashion (clothing and footwear) and food and beverage – and include both new and existing Geac users. Most recent go-lives are at “a major shoe manufacturer in Thailand”, US-based structural foam maker Latham Plastics, and organic food producer Applegate Farms. Medical equipment manufacturer Elekta, poultry processing equipment maker Stork Gamco and lawn and garden equipment producer Snapper are due to be up and running by this summer, with electric heating and domestic appliances maker Glen Dimplex in Ireland coming on stream later in the year. Alastair Middleton, marketing director, believes Aurora’s real-time process management and workflow capabilities are among reasons for the take-up, which is above expectations. He believes manufacturing business users “are a lot more savvy”, and that facilities like business process analytics, supplier collaboration and performance analysis facilities are now not merely talked about but seen as key. Several of the early adopters, for example, have looked to the system’s order capture capabilities to streamline the sales processing cycle; others are putting more focus on supply chain and sourcing management efficiencies.