TPC Limited, a sugar estate in remote Moshi, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, is using InfoWave’s financial ERP,Tranquillity to run critical back-office business functions. Part of Mauritian-based holding company the Ciel Group, TPC opted for the ERP solution in 2002 and has been enjoying more efficient processes since.

Designed, implemented and supported by JSE-listed niche management software specialist InfoWave, Tranquillity is specifically developed for the sugar industry and caters for the entire value chain, from procurement to supply chain management. The modules implemented at TPC include Materials Management, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Warehousing, Sales Ordering, Cash management, General Ledger, Fixed Assets and Vehicle Cost Management.

“Before we opted for Tranquillity, our financial processes were completely manual,” says Patrick Koenig, assistant financial manager at TPC. “Our stock issuing, for example, was recorded in massive leatherbound books and we were completely reliant on the accuracy of manual input. The margin for human error was considerable and the lack of automation allowed room not only for inaccuracies but also for manipulation of the process.” The Tranquillity suite was implemented in 2002 and an agreement for remote support set up with InfoWave. The agreement also covered management of the third parties involved in the overall project including the hardware installation and implementation of SQR’s agricultural system. This enabled the entire sugar mill to be automated and computerised.

An initial gap analysis by InfoWave identified specific requirements that were built and tested prior to implementation. The implementation was smooth, and included integration with the CanePro system, as well as management of third-party suppliers to ensure overall project success. “The change at TPC was incredible to watch,” says Debbie Raine, account manager at InfoWave.“The company went from having no formal system for financial data capture and no proper control of sugar stocks and inventory to a sophisticated management system that ensured the upliftment of skills, the enablement of tight controls, the mapping of financial records and the initialisation of an inventory reordering system that was efficient and user-friendly.” TPC initially had 45 users of the system. The company recently added another 15 when management opted for the implementation of Tranquillity’s sales, debtors and warehousing modules. This automated their entire warehousing and sales function, providing secure controls and integration to the ledger,” says Raine.

Koenig says that one of the main benefits TPC derives from the Tranquillity application is in stockholding control, with the system specifying minimum re-order points on holding stock, introducing improved management of inventory planning and re-order levels, all critical for the efficient mill operation.

The application is supported remotely from InfoWave’s Durban office via satellite feed, ensuring 24-hour support, system stability, full functionality and constant uptime – all rare commodities in isolated regions of Africa. “We’re constantly enhancing and improving the Tranquillity application to ensure the company achieves the maximum benefits and the most cost-effective and efficient financial system solution,” says Raine.

Contact

Cindy von Pannier, InfoWave, (031) 508 1800, cindy@infowave.co.za