Intranet Boosts Scope of ERP System at NewTeam Showers

NewTeam Showers has extended the scope of its ERP system using an Intranet to speed information flows through the company. The PC-based system saves on administration costs by delivering corporate and other information on demand to desktops company-wide.

NewTeam Showers has been using K3 Business Technology's IBS business control system for over 13 years and the system has grown with the business from 8 to 50 users. With two sites at Corby and Walsall, the company is a leading-edge manufacturer of showers, water heater and shower accessories, supplying large retailers, such as B&Q, which is a very demanding supplier environment.

IBS provides the company with a completely integrated manufacturing management system and NewTeam has used innovative thinking and modern technology to break the mould of how the system is viewed within the company.

In conjunction with K3 and Italik, a Leeds-based data handling company, NewTeam developed an extensive Intranet system based around IBS, using Flex and Crystal Reports to pull together all the information available. The results have been amazing for communication within the company. The PC-based system delivers information on demand to desktops company-wide.

Finance Director Richard Gant explains: "IBS is a sophisticated and complete ERP solution with thousands of features to suit different company needs. For the average user, however, this can mean that the user interface is rather busy. At NewTeam we have developed a company-wide Intranet, and are working with K3 in developing 'browser' based update and access screens that are simple, easy-to-use and relevant. In short this allows users just to see the information they need when they need it. No functionality is lost or compromised as all the core features are still there, but hidden beneath the surface.

"The Intranet brings additional advantages as it allows us to deploy and display other corporate information onto the users' desktop, which saves on administration and overheads. For example, timesheets and expense forms are all available in a single menu system along with the users' IBS functions. This gives us the best of both worlds as we have the power of a modern fully integrated ERP solution, but delivered in such a way that avoids confusion and clutter."

Richard Gant says that other sub-systems are being developed using Lotus Notes that enable the purchasing department to post information on the Intranet about the delivery dates for goods ordered. And because the information is centralised, areas such as marketing, finance, purchasing and product development all benefit from faster information flows. "The sales force use the Intranet when they are visiting customers so they have up-to-date information on the status of orders and deliveries in real-time," he adds.

Other developments include a service management package for streamlining the scheduling of its service engineers' visits and organising their diaries and worksheets; and the sharing of information with equipment installers.

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

K3 Business Technology Group plc is a public company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. Formerly known as Kewill ERP, the company is one of the UK?s leading authors and suppliers of Supply Chain Management and ERP software for the SME Sector. Products include IBS, Micross and Micross for Windows range (ERP solutions), Omicron (financial software) and JobBOSS for small jobshops.

K3's clients in the UK clients include Rolls Royce, Thomson CSF, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Thales. With over 1650 current UK customers, the company is the UK?s market leading supplier of UK-developed Supply Chain Management software to the SME sector.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Potts
David Potts Associates
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OR

Richard Thomas   
K3 Business Technology Group plc         
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E-mail: richard.thomas@k3btg.com                       

K3 can also be reached on its website: www.k3btg.com