BRITISH BAKELS LTD PLUMPS FOR 236,000 ROLL OUT OF MICROSOFT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS - AXAPTA

Microsoft Business Solutions partner Index Computer Systems has won a 236,000 contract to supply Microsoft Business Solutions - Axapta to British Bakels Ltd. British Bakels supplies ingredients to bakers across the UK and has purchased modules from the Microsoft - Axapta suite to provide a fully integrated IT system spanning its core business functions logistics, accounting, and warehouse management.

The legacy IT systems to be replaced by Microsoft - Axapta consisted of over 3,000 separate programmes written in three different programming languages over a fifteen year period. Index are providing a 40 user Microsoft- Axapta licence, hardware and 170 man days of implementation.

Ade Abbas, Financial Controller of British Bakels Ltd, said: It had become abundantly clear that our IT infrastructure was no longer adequate for the demands of our business. The lack of integration between our bespoke solutions caused difficulties in both warehouse management and product traceability, it also meant that end user reporting was particularly challenging. Combined with the high maintenance cost of such a personalised solution, these difficulties led us to seek an application that could integrate all areas of our business.

British Bakels Ltd considered a number of applications including Sage Line 500, Exchequer and EFACS. However, the breadth of functionality exhibited by Microsoft - Axapta and the knowledge and experience of the food industry demonstrated by Index, convinced the company that this was the best solution. The reputation and financial security of Microsoft Business Solutions, and its commitment to continue to develop and support Microsoft- Axapta were also influential factors in the decision.

Ade Abbas said: Axapta will provide employees across the company with accurate, up-to-the-minute information on how our business is performing. Our decision making, production processes, cost control and provision of customer service will all be improved with our roll out of Microsoft Axapta. These are just a handful of examples of the benefits we expect to reap.

Bernard Godward, MD of Index, welcomed this new customer to Index saying We have traditionally been very strong in the food manufacturing and processing industry and are very please to add British Bakels to our growing customer list. We are confident that our business driven approach to meeting customers needs will ensure British Bakels are successful in its adoption of Microsoft - Axapta.