Ricoh Company has prided itself on being the first to market with innovative solutions. In 2009 Ricoh Company acquired one of the world’s largest document management technology distributors, IKON, which had an immediate and dramatic effect on the Canadian business unit, Ricoh Canada Inc., a move that willgrow the number of PCs the IT department must manage from 1,000 to an estimated 2,000. In response, the IT department sought ways to achieve even greater levels of automated management and control over the company’s computing environment, and ensure maximum uptime for applications. To accommodate growth, Ricoh Canada has begun a company-wide migration to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Together, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 have helped to improve mobile and on-premise security, help the IT team achieve greater manageability, and set the stage for further growth.

Throughout its history Ricoh Company has prided itself on being the first to market with innovative solutions. In 2009 Ricoh Company acquired one of the world’s largest document management technology distributors, IKON, which had an immediate effect on the Canadian business unit, Ricoh Canada Inc., by doublingthe company’s size in terms of revenue. It will also grow the number of PCs the IT department must manage from 1,000 to an estimated 2,000. In response, the IT department sought ways to achieve greater levels of automated management, mored control over the company’s computing environment, andmaximum uptime for applications. Ricoh Canada has begun a company-wide migration to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Together, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 have helped the IT team achieve greater manageability, and set the stage for further growth.

GuestLogix Inc. is a leading provider of onboard retail technology to the passenger travel industry. The Toronto-based company delivers innovative products and services to enhance the customer experience and drive ancillary revenue growth for airlines. The company wanted capitalize on current market trends and increased industry demand for onboard retail solutions. To achieve this, GuestLogix first needed to improve its business intelligence (BI) and reporting capabilities and enable staff to access a single view of operational performance to evaluate sales efforts and make meaningful forecasts. With this in mind, GuestLogix has developed a new BI environment based on Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008. Workers can now more effectively collaborate with each other to deliver solutions that are most closely aligned with the needs of the passenger travel industry.

Based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Oughtred Coffee and Tea is a coffee roaster, distributor, and equipment service provider. Relying on a basic accounting package to manage operations, the company handled many processes outside the system, resulting in islands of data, data reentry, and a lack of business insight. To streamline operations and achieve the insight needed to strategically plan production and optimize its merchandising on retailers’ shelves, the company implemented Microsoft Dynamics NAV® 2009 and engaged Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner The RSC Group to drive the implementation by using the Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step methodology. After going live with core functionality in only four months, Oughtred Coffee and Tea has established the central data store needed for advanced decision making and expects to save 2,000 hours a year by reducing data reentry.

Subaru Canada, which distributes vehicles to dealerships nationwide, wanted to improve its employees’ communications productivity—especially for its mobile sales staff, who frequently had to check in for voice-mail messages. With the help of Navantis, a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner, Subaru Canada implemented Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Enterprise as part of a unified communications strategy. Subaru Canada will use Exchange Server 2010 to save mobile employees more than 15 minutes a day, while also saving money on phone charges, because the employees no longer have to dial in to check voice-mail messages. The company will also take advantage of Exchange Server 2010 to provide users with larger mailboxes at a lower cost, deliver a highly available solution while improving IT efficiency, and more easily comply with regulations.

GPX International Tire Corp. is a multinational distributor of specialty off-the-road tires for the agricultural, construction, materials handling and transportation industries. The company experienced several mergers and acquisitions in recent years and was saddled with multiple IT systems. In order to streamline operations and improve the decision-making process, GPX needed a less-complex method to access its inventory and business data. Working with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner BDO Solutions Group, GPX implemented Microsoft Dynamics® NAV to enhance its management and accounting processes. Today, GPX is using Dynamics NAV to standardize its operations on a common technology platform – helping to improve inventory tracking and make more informed business decisions in real-time.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) manufactures recreational vehicles, including Ski-Doo® snowmobiles and Sea-Doo® watercraft and sport boats. The company relies on a vast, worldwide dealer network to sell and service its products. BRP operated an extranet that gave dealers access to marketing material, warranty, order, inventory and other items required to run successful dealerships. But the extranet’s underlying technology was in danger of becoming obsolete, and BRP was worried that the system wouldn’t scale up to support its growing dealer community. Working with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner CGI Group, BRP replaced the aging extranet infrastructure with a new Microsoft-based solution, incorporating Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007 for enhanced document management.

The Allan Candy Company Ltd. is a leading North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products. A former division of Cadbury Adams, Allan Candy became a stand-alone entity that needed to quickly shift from a complex SAP-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) environment to an out-of-the-box business solution that supports rapid growth and leaner manufacturing and distribution processes. Facing tight deadlines, Allan Candy worked with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner TGO Consulting Inc. to develop a more flexible and scalable financial and operations solution based on Microsoft Dynamics™ GP. Today, Allan Candy benefits from improved inventory management, streamlined distribution and lean manufacturing processes.

Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Apotex is a leading manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals. In an effort to protect its sensitive research and development data, as well as to control the costs of maintaining an aging operating system, the company upgraded to the Windows Vista® Enterprise operating system. Apotex is now reaping the benefits of enhanced security and lower IT maintenance costs, while readying itself for the future.

IMT Partnership manufactures truck and trailer axles and constantly needs to improve its operational agility and efficiency to protect its business against lower-priced competitors. Business technology helps IMT provide customers with high-quality products in a short timeframe, but the company’s previous Baan IV manufacturing software was increasingly difficult to maintain. With help from Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Fullscope, IMT switched to Microsoft Dynamics® AX, which provides the company with a flexible, easy-to-manage infrastructure; greater operational visibility; an intuitive interface that has increased user adoption; and a foundation for continued growth. With Microsoft Dynamics AX, IMT delivers quality products on time, evaluates operational efficiency more effectively, and can move ahead with supply-chain enhancements, such as inventory barcoding.