300,000+ order to implement complete new ERP systems

Accantia Health and Beauty Limited, the Birmingham-based toiletries and feminine hygiene company, which owns high profile brands such as Simple and Lil-lets has placed an order valued in excess of 300,000 with business software specialists CPiO for a complete, new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that will manage the organisation's manufacturing, and distribution operations.

The new system, which will replace Accantia's SAP-based ERP system, uses Sage Line 500 manufacturing, distribution and business intelligence software. It will be implemented at its head office in Birmingham, onto an IBM 'Cluster' server, which will employ the latest 'fail-over' technology for high availability.

Up to 60 users will have access to the new Sage Line 500 system, enabling Accantia to improve efficiency and productivity, whilst streamlining its financial systems, providing better management information and allowing for the development of sophisticated business intelligence reporting.

Birmingham-based Accantia employs more than 350 people including a subsidiary operation in South Africa. Accantia was formed in July 2000, following a management buyout. In January 2004 the majority shareholding in the business was sold to Duke Street Capital.

Accantia's key business areas are skin care, toiletries and feminine hygiene markets. In April this year it launched the Simple Baby range of products as it entered the baby care market for the first time.

Since the buyout, the business has continued to show a significant increase in sales and profit, achieving sales of 90m in 2003.

CPiO's consultants will implement the Sage Line 500 software providing implementation consultancy, project management and an education programme to support the roll-out of the software and systems. In addition, CPiO's consultant's will help Accantia to manage the transition to the new systems, developing new reporting and implementing the business intelligence tools that will support Accantia's management's future development and decision making. This implementation of the Sage Line 500 system will enable Accantia to improve financial control, streamline its business processes and will significantly reduce ongoing running costs of the entire ERP systems. 

Accantia's Group Financial Controller, Simon Pinks, explains, "We chose Sage Line 500 as we were confident that the system would not only be a cost-effective option when compared to our existing SAP system, but that it would also provide us with easier access to the valuable information which is within our business systems, helping us to gain a greater insight into our company's situation and future potential. This in turn will support the decisions made within the business. We believe Sage Line 500 will also help us to streamline procedures across our organisation."

Pinks concludes, "We were impressed with the people from CPiO that we met and discussed our requirements with. Their experience in implementing and supporting Sage Line 500 implementations across the UK gave us the confidence that we could rely upon them as business partners to work with as we develop our business to the next level."

Accantia reviewed and considered Microsoft's Axapta and Great Plains Software before selecting Sage Line 500. Other software was rejected due its cost or incompatibility with Accantia's business.