SAGE LAUNCHES A BUSINESS UNIT DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING UK MANUFACTURING

Sage (UK) Ltd has today announced the launch of a new business unit dedicated to UK manufacturing. Its overall aim is to help manufacturers automate and integrate their business processes to generate fast returns on their IT investments. It will do this by providing business software that is easy to implement and integrate with existing systems.

Andrew Buckley, the newly appointed Director of Sage Manufacturing Solutions commented, From Sages annual Heartbeat research into the IT experiences of manufacturing companies, it is clear that IT vendors have often served them badly. Over half of manufacturers feel they have wasted at least some of their investment in IT which is due in part to poor customer service from suppliers.

With the launch of the manufacturing business unit we aim to address this issue with a dedicated manufacturing team focused on delivering tangible benefits, selling practical solutions rather than technology for technology's sake and most importantly improving the level of both pre- and after-sales customer service.

As Sage has been involved in manufacturing for more than 20 years this move clearly underlines the companys commitment to existing and new customers. Speaking to Iestyn Armstrong-Smith, editor, Manufacturing&Logistics IT magazine, Buckley said the onus is on Sage to make sure we have a good understanding of users needs to help automate and integrate systems with solutions that are easy to implement and are easy to use.

Sage already has 80,000 British manufacturers using its software, representing 40 per cent of the UK manufacturing sector. It is in a unique position as it offers manufacturers of all sizes and complexity integrated software that supports all of their business processes. This encompasses back office accounting and payroll, front office customer relationship management, manufacturing production and supply chain management. Buckley said: Sage is pretty much the only vendor in the UK that covers small to multinational companies offering end-to-end solutions.

Sages specialist software for manufacturing includes Bill of Materials, Works Order Processing and MRP. Sage has also just launched the Advanced Manufacturing Suite for its Line 500 ERP solution which includes modules covering Production Scheduling, Product Management and Works Orderless Production.

Sage software integrates with over 300 third party products that have been written by developer partners to deliver further business benefits to manufacturers of all sizes. Its software is supplied across the whole of the UK with the help of over 500 business partners, who are able to implement and support Sage manufacturing solutions at a local level.

Commenting on the launch, Alan Simpson, Managing Director of the Sage business partner Datel said, The secret of integrated business system success is to implement the essential financial modules, then fully integrate them into your distribution and manufacturing processes, to give minimum paperwork and maximum business intelligence and reporting. Sage is the only software vendor that can offer this from entry level manufacturers with Line 50 through to growing businesses with MMS and large enterprises with Line 500.

Sage is dedicated to providing business management software that is adapted to the needs of mediumsized companies in specific vertical markets. Its goal is to provide customers with software that is functionally rich and easy to install, whilst offering the best possible service and support. At present these markets include manufacturing, construction and retail.

The Sage Manufacturing Solutions has team members located in Newcastle, Winnersh (Reading) and Redditch.