Novum flexes for significant global growth with Infor

Infor, provider of business software for mid-market companies, has announced Novum, a refrigeration manufacturer based in Dublin, Ireland, has upgraded to Infor ERP System21 Aurora to help manage substantial growth in its export business. The upgrade utilises Infors Flex programme to move from an older version of ERP System21 to Aurora the latest service-oriented architecture (SOA) based version.  The Flex-enabled upgrade helps drive integration with all customer order fulfilment processes, improved order-to-cash cycle times, and better decision making across the organisation. Novum expects a return on the investment within 12 months.

Infor Flex enables qualifying customers with active maintenance contracts, like Novum, to upgrade to the latest version of the software via transparent, low cost implementations mitigating the risk of an implementation that runs over time or budget. Novum expects an ROI within 12 months by integrating all previously disparate systems into a seamless process. Reporting can now be done immediately with regular reports using live data and customised reports fashioned in a matter of minutes.  As part of the upgrade Novum has migrated to a new IBM System i model 520 employing POWER technology to greatly improve system performance and resilience.

Infor ERP System21 Aurora allows Novum to streamline and improve its sales and manufacturing processes to help achieve this significant growth, says Morgan OFlaherty, business development director, Infor Ireland. The team has better information available in a timely manner, greater business control, improved customer service levels and profit margins on its products: which are all key metrics for Novum.

What other say
System21 Aurora is providing the practical software tools to manage our growth, says Robert Gibney, CFO, Novum. Phase one of the System21 Aurora deployment is complete and already there are immediate benefits.  We have begun a process of reducing the overall life cycle of our product process from order to sale.  We hope within 12 months to have reduced this by 35 per cent.  Already we are on track.

According to industry analyst firm AMR, implementing new ERP systems typically costs millions of dollars and can take two to three years before implementation is complete. Many companies are struggling with older business systems that no longer meet their needs. Simply waiting until funding and resources are available for a new ERP system may damage morale and leave the company with inefficient business processes and inadequate information access, AMR states in its 2009 report, Should You Rehabilitate Your Current ERP System Rather Than Buy a New One?