Private Cloud (MS Dynamics)
Setting
The world-wide magnet market was divided in 2 at the start of this century:
- Complex bespoke technical magnets sourced mostly on quality directly from the manufacturer in Europe and to a lesser extent America
- Run-of-the-mill, rather low specification magnets sourced mostly based on price by wholesalers from a pletora suppliers in China and some in Europe and America
Challenge
When Atlas opened up a complete new market (complex bespoke technical magnets sourced from a single - then still rare – quality Chinese supplier) we knew we would be in for spectacular growth. We also knew we would soon have to have ERP access, possibly in their own languages, for our own future subsidiaries in for instance:
- China, doing quality control and performing manufacturing audits, but also local sales to our multinational clients.
- Europe: Germany and other European countries having a dedicated sales organisation
- North America: USA / Canada
Lastly our clients used several types of EDI and these would all have to be accommodated.
Solution (MS Dynamics)
We therefor needed an truly international software, that was available from all over the world, but would also needed to be modified based especially on our rather complex logistical requirements. Requirements that had obviously to do with magnetism, but also with issues like:
- Reusable packaging, meaning that empty containers (and containers within them and again within them) would need to be followed and shipped thousands of kilometres from one continent to another and whose actual content only would be checked at arrival
- The fact that, due to the size of the average magnet, the monthly requirements of several customers could easily fit in one container and delays in shipment of one container should therefore trigger a contact with all relevant customers
While the size of our company and the international dimension clearly made the cloud the obvious answer, the required customisation prevented it to be public. Financial limitations further restricted our options: we achieved all this as trailblazer, allowing our supplier to showcase our development.
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