Bearings International Gears Up with Sage ERP X3
Bearings International, a division of Hudaco Trading (PTY) LTD will implement Sage ERP X3, providing the organisation with a comprehensive end-to-end ERP solution for increased flexibility in its trading environment.
Bearings International is a leading Southern African distributor of bearings and power transmission products. The company distributes a complete range of leading brand imported products through its 53 branch outlets, 3 on-site operations and 6 franchised outlets, including bearings, transmission and conveyor chains, agricultural spare parts, gearboxes and geared motors, electric motors and frequency converter variable speed controls among others.
Bearings International ran a Unix legacy system that although it had served them well had been modified and added on so that it could no longer be updated. The company was looking to achieve more flexibility within its trading environment, as well as provide mobile facilities to enable management and sales personnel to access information remotely. The company was also looking for a single comprehensive end-to-end solution to replace multiple systems.
“Bearings International considered a number of ERP solutions before deciding on Sage ERP X3,” says Bearings International CEO Gilbert da Silva. “The scalability of the product, together with its cost efficiency and comprehensive scope, including all aspects of sales, stock control and inventory management, were some of the reasons for the choice,” says da Silva.
“We started by mapping Bearings International’s business processes in order to illustrate how Sage ERP X3 could improve efficiencies across the system,” says solutions provider Parity Software’s account manager Martin Pengelly. “We are now in the design phase of the implementation which will take us through until November, when we will have effectively built the system. From there we will start the deployment phase where we will train the users and convert all existing data onto the system,” Pengelly explains. The system is due to go live at Bearings International in April 2013.
“Sage ERP X3 will provide three main benefits once it is up and running. The latest technology employed by Sage ERP X3 will help Bearings International reduce their risk profile by replacing legacy system with the latest technology available. It will also enable the company to leverage their two greatest assets – their inventory levels and debtor’s book – providing a good return on the company’s assets and better position it as a premier player in the marketplace. Sage ERP X3 will also improve the organisations overall efficiency due to its improved technological capabilities,” explains Managing Director of Parity Software, Warren Williams.
“Sage ERP X3’s ease of customisation, as well as its user-friendly interface and advanced functionality have proved to be a perfect match for Bearings International”, says Keith Fenner, Senior Vice President of Sales for Africa, Sage ERP Africa , as well as Senior Vice President of Sales for Sage ERP X3 AAMEA. “Sage ERP X3 offers the freedom of choice, ease of integration, high performance and reliability that forward-thinking companies such as Bearings International rely on to increase profitability and seize the competitive advantage,” says Fenner.
“Looking ahead, Bearings International will expand its systems to include the Sage CRM solution in 2013. This addition will enable it to leverage its existing customer base for future sales,” says Williams. “While the full implementation of the ERP and CRM project will take two to three- years to rollout to all aspects and divisions of the business, it will provide Bearings International with all the flexibility and mobility it desires in one comprehensive end-to-end solution,” concludes Williams.
