4-page Case Study - Posted 1/15/2007

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Roll-Gom

Recycling Company Revamps Management System to Meet Needs of Expanding Business

Situation

Founded in 1985, France-based Roll-Gom has made its name using rubber powder from old, crushed automobile tyres. Randolph Ledreux, IT Director at Roll-Gom, says: “Our factory operates night and day, running a production line that uses rubber powder to manufacture wheels for waste bins and wheelbarrows.”

Roll-Gom was recently acquired by Alsace-Canadian GUITEL Group, a supplier of rubber powder and a world leader in manufacturing rubber matting and dairy flooring. This new ownership gave Roll-Gom the freedom to make its own IT decisions and further support its expanding production.

Because of significant changes to its business structure, however, Roll-Gom had to reshape its management system. The priority was to find a solution for its accounts systems, which were supported by an SAP enterprise resource planning solution controlled by its former parent company. Roll Gom had just two months from the takeover to implement the replacement solution.

Roll-Gom employees lacked confidence in the SAP system because it was difficult to use, especially for those without training. For this reason, the company decided SAP was unsuitable for its IT system. “There was an overall reluctance with regard to SAP,” Ledreux says. “We did not have proper control over the settings, which were poorly configured. To print a report or delivery note, three or four ratifications were necessary.”

Roll-Gom wanted to regain control of its management system and win over users, who had grown increasingly frustrated by the existing system’s outdated functionality. Before the SAP system could be shut down, however, Roll Gom had to quickly deploy a new solution. The company also needed a solution that would meet a tight budget and give users full control over functionality to create more accurate reports.

The centralised database provides up-to-the-minute operational data for all authorised employees. As a result, we can get a clear view of our business activities and make the best possible management decisions. Randolph Ledreux, IT Director, Roll-Gom

Solution

Microsoft® Certified Partner C2A worked with Roll-Gom employees to identify a solution that would generate user confidence. “For us, employee cooperation was essential to make a fresh start with a new information system,” Ledreux says.

In August 2004, after researching a number of products on the market, the Roll Gom accounts department decided to deploy Microsoft Dynamics™ NAV. The Financial Accounting module was the first part of the solution to be deployed. The successful implementation before the withdrawal of SAP prevented any disruption to company cash flow. By February 2005, Microsoft Dynamics NAV was fully managing factory production at Roll-Gom.

“C2A took just 60 days to configure the system, and because it was easy to develop, members of our own IT team could take on some responsibility for the interfaces and all the editing,” Ledreux says.

Employee input into the development of the solution ensured Microsoft Dynamics NAV mirrored previous business processes. As a result, employees adapted quickly to the easy-to-use solution.

Because Microsoft Dynamics NAV is designed to address broad industry needs, it fits most of the company’s requirements out-of-the-box. The modules in use include Financial Accounting, Stock, and Production Management. Roll-Gom has customised Microsoft Dynamics NAV to match its operations while adding new business-critical functionality. With the Financial Accounting module, Roll-Gom can identify new financial opportunities and motivate users to be more productive. Up-to-date finance information is readily accessible and makes it easier for Roll-Gom to spot trends and gain insight into business activities.

Benefits

Roll-Gom employees can now access real-time stock information and manage a wide range of other business processes—important features for a company that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The company can also add functionality as needed and grow at its own pace.

Enhanced Visibility Contributes to More Accurate Business Decisions
Because the new system relies on a centralised Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 database, managers always have access to current and correct information, which improves data visibility and decision-making across the entire company. This, in turn, has increased user cooperation and instilled confidence in the system.

“The centralised database provides up-to-the-minute operational data for all authorised employees,” Ledreux says. “It is possible to navigate through critical data and view every report and payment. As a result, we can get a clear view of our business activities and make the best possible management decisions.”

Off-the-Shelf Solution Meets 90 Per Cent of Company’s Business Requirements
Roll-Gom has cut development costs substantially because of the system’s minimal need for customisation. Off the shelf, Microsoft Dynamics NAV already met 90 per cent of the company’s needs.

The system’s easy manageability also drives down costs. Time spent configuring reports and seeking new opportunities has been reduced, so the business can now focus on increasing production capacity.

C2A took just 60 days to configure the system, and because it is easy to develop, members of our own IT team could take on some responsibility for the interfaces and all the editing. Randolph Ledreux, IT Director, Roll-Gom

Users Quickly Adopt Easy-to-Use System, which Mirrors Existing Processes
Because the new system mirrored existing processes, it was easy for Roll-Gom users to adopt. Ledreux says: “The move to Microsoft Dynamics NAV has been a good experience because its user-friendliness ensures we can get the most value from the solution. Our user needs were configured into the system’s functionality. Now, all authorised employees have clear visibility of processes across the company.”

Scalability of System Fits Well into Company’s Plans for Future Growth
The next step for Roll-Gom is to integrate Microsoft Dynamics NAV with Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 for sales employees. “With this integration, our sales employees can easily retrieve the latest orders in Outlook 2003,” Ledreux says. “We have been using Microsoft Dynamics NAV for 18 months. Using this new solution, we can save time on administration processes.

“We are now looking to fit all workers with bar-code scanners that will help them enter information in Microsoft Dynamics NAV more efficiently, freeing up time for other work. We are also looking to add some extra functions to the sales model that will help us to improve our customer services. We hope to complete both these projects in 2006.”

 Software and Services
  Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
    Microsoft SQL Server 2000

  Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 
  Microsoft Dynamics
    Microsoft Dynamics NAV

For More Information
For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to: www.microsoft.com

For more information about C2A products and services, visit the Web site at: www.c2a.com

For more information about Roll-Gom products and services, visit the Web site at:www.roll-gom.com

Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like familiar Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office, which means less of a learning curve for your people, so they can get up and running quickly and focus on what’s most important. And because it is from Microsoft, it easily works with the systems that your company already has implemented. By automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes, Microsoft Dynamics brings together people, processes, and technologies, increasing the productivity and effectiveness of your business and helping you drive business success.
 
For more information about Microsoft Dynamics, go to:
www.microsoft.com/dynamics