Continental Microwave and Vislink go for XKO ERP

Broadcast microwave and satellite transmissions systems manufacturers Continental Microwave (CML) and Vislink Communications (VCL), both subsidiaries of Vislink, are to get £305,000 worth of ERP from developer XKO Software. The companies, which manufacture equipment for the transmission of broadcast quality television signals, digital data and telephony, expect XKO’s X3 software to integrate information from all departments across the businesses, including sales, operations, production and finance. The implementation will be phased from March 2003 and is due for completion in July. The software will be used by the 200-plus employees from CML and VCL in three UK locations. It will enable all employees to access current information across the UK Broadcast Division. The companies say scope includes from initial customer contact to quotations and sales orders, to manufacturing scheduling, invoicing and installed system services management. All functions will share common data and seamless business processes. James Trumper, Vislink group financial director, says: “We were looking for an IT supplier that could address all the diverse business needs of the UK Broadcast Division… We wanted to support our operations with world class systems and believe that the system will allow us to support our business in the competitive arenas we operate in.” Alistair Blaxill, XKO managing director, says: “The electronics sector is becoming a major focus for XKO. In addition to well established businesses, like Vislink, there is a growing number of sector ‘start-ups’, which are now maturing into fully-fledged manufacturing companies and need software that allows them to manage all aspects of a project – from estimating through to production – to ensure profit margins are maintained.”