Multinational turns to Tectura UK for Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance c
Fast-growing multinational AMCOL, a specialist in the use of clays in environmental and other applications, needed to standardise their financial reporting and ERP systems in the UK, Spain and Poland in order to ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and to speed up quarterly financial reporting. Following a market-wide competition, they chose Tectura UK to implement a Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) based system. Eventually, AMCOL plans to deploy Microsoft Dynamics NAV throughout their 59 locations worldwide. “We expect to meet the August 1st launch date and we have a very good relationship with Tectura,” says Lloyd Love, the company’s VP and CIO. Tectura - Microsoft Dynamics NAV solutions -http://www.tectura.co.uk
London, May 26th 2006 – Tectura UK, a subsidiary of the leading global provider of Microsoft integrated business solutions to large and mid-market companies, today announced that it is helping AMCOL to implement a multinational Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in Poland, Spain and the UK. AMCOL International Corporation (NYSE: ACO) is a multinational company specialising in mining, processing and distributing clays for applications as diverse as building materials, environmental use and pet products. The $536m company employs 1,542 staff worldwide in 59 locations. Rapid growth and a programme of acquisitions has led AMCOL to standardise on Microsoft’s Dynamics NAV - ERP software across the company, beginning with its CETCO subsidiaries in the UK, Poland and Spain. The project is run from Tectura’s London offices and is due to go live in August 2006. Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP software manages and integrates everything from finance, sales, purchasing, warehouse management, to manufacturing. Lloyd Love, AMCOL’s vice-president and CIO, is responsible for the project. He lists several reasons for choosing Microsoft Dynamics NAV: • Compliance. To improve accounting oversight in compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. • Faster accounts preparation. “Let’s just say that it will speed up the process of doing that and reporting our financial results,” says Love. • Easier growth. The company is growing rapidly and having a standard ERP system will make it easier to integrate newly-acquired businesses. • Cost reduction. Conversely, maintaining the current situation, where every country in Europe has its own country-specific system would be “very costly.” • Integration with other Microsoft products. “We’re a Microsoft standard shop worldwide,” explains Love. Staff find the software familiar after using Excel and Outlook, while integration with the company’s existing SQL database makes implementation more efficient. AMCOL chose a Microsoft Dynamics NAV after a market-wide request for proposals. Having selected it over non-Microsoft alternatives, the company selected Tectura UK in a competitive tender to carry out the implementation. As AMCOL works in many different countries and has different kinds of business units – manufacturing, mining, national head offices and so on – they needed flexible software. “Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers the best of both worlds,” says Love. It is a standard, off-the-shelf software package which means that it is efficient and cost-effective to implement; also, it benefits from upgrades as Microsoft delivers new versions. It can be tailored for individual countries, businesses, currencies and languages. In addition, Tectura has enhanced and customised the software with its own, proprietary add-on modules where required. AMCOL needed a partner who could operate in different countries. Although the project is managed from London, Tectura is able to deploy local resources in Spain and Poland. The relationship between Tectura and AMCOL is working well. “So far our two organisations are working closely together, from the project teams to the executive sponsors, with the one goal in mind,” said Adam Edmondson, managing director of Tectura UK. “We’re on target to reach our deadlines in this multi country implementation” Love reciprocates: “We expect to meet the August 1st launch date and we have a very good relationship with Tectura. Our intention is to implement this worldwide. We’re starting in Europe and we also want to implement it in Asia and eventually in North America.” Tectura – Microsoft Dynamics NAV solutions - http://www.tectura.co.uk About Amcol International AMCOL International, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill., produces and markets a wide range of specialty mineral products used for industrial, environmental and consumer-related applications. AMCOL is the parent of American Colloid Co., CETCO (Colloid Environmental Technologies Co.), Volclay International, Nanocor and the transportation operations, Ameri-co Carriers, Inc. and Ameri-co Logistics, Inc. AMCOL’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ACO. AMCOL’s web address is www.amcol.com. About Tectura Corporation Tectura is the world’s leading Microsoft Dynamics partner and number one provider of Microsoft-based ERP, CRM, and technology solutions to mid-market companies, larger enterprises and their divisions. Tectura provides software, consulting, and IT implementation services to more than 4,000 clients in the distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, and service-based industries. Through these services, Tectura delivers business process improvements, greater efficiency, and a clear competitive edge to clients in over 60 countries. Customers benefit from unmatched experience and a solid commitment from more than 1,400 dedicated employees with offices spanning the entire world. Learn more at: http://www.tectura.co.uk