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SOFTLINE ACCPAC to deliver its mining expertise to Alexkor with Premier Partner ATS Mirlem
January 2009

Alexkor, a state-owned alluvial diamond company in Alexander Bay, Northern Cape, is looking to the future with confidence after a recent decision to invest in Accpac ERP for Mining, from Softline Accpac, to enrich its business processes through better reporting, workflow and integration capabilities. The implementation will be done using the expertise of Softline Accpac premier business partner ATS Mirlem, which operates in the Western Cape.

Alexkor was established in 1989, when the state alluvial diggings was taken over from the government and transformed into the Alexander Bay Development Corporation. The core business is the mining of diamonds on beaches and in the sea along the north-west coast of South Africa. These activities are complemented by geology, rehabilitation and environmental management. Non-core activities include engineering services, transport services, guest houses, a petrol station and an airport.

It was Accpac for Mining’s proven track record and comprehensive functionalities for the industry which prompted the investment, says Danie Grobler, Chief Financial Officer, Alexkor. The company had been working off Oracle’s JD Edwards ERP software which Grobler says posed challenges for the burgeoning concern. “We found the system was no longer meeting our requirements and it had also become extremely difficult to source the expertise needed to maintain the system. With the expert guidance of FinFive, a financial services company based in Johannesburg, we recognised that the benefits of investing in Accpac for Mining far outweighed the cost of the investment.”

Keith Fenner, Vice President: Strategic Sales, Softline Accpac, says the mining suite is a powerful combination of Accpac core accounting, operational cost analysis, business intelligence (BI), assets and workflow options, which covers financial, distribution, costing, scheduling, maintenance and production solutions.

“The key components of a solution for mining involve an easy-to-use workflow driven set of processes to manage procurement, production and internal cost requisitions as well as physical issues. Accpac ERP for Mining incorporates a complete workflow suite to assist with simple, fast data entry requests from the mine with comprehensive authorisation rules built in, linked to costs centres or budgets.”

Grobler says the importance of BI today cannot be undervalued.

“The ability of Accpac ERP for Mining to allow the creation of reports that combine actuals versus budget with complete drill down to detail level and presentation of production data, is what every CFO needs. The coupling of financial and production data that is audited and approved gives the board comfort that operations and finance are in synchronisation with a single view of the truth. The reporting module allows analysis at any level captured and will assist us with our financial and strategic decision making.”

Andre Matthysen, MD of ATS Mirlem, says mining companies operate under ever-changing business conditions and have to manage the growth of new developments, while keeping operational costs down to a minimum. “Accpac ERP for Mining bridges the gap between financial information and production information by utilising a configurable set of workflow and BI tools providing information anywhere, anytime. Through the use of this comprehensive system, Alexkor will be well positioned for positive future growth.”

About Softline Accpac
Softline Accpac is a provider of business management solutions including financial, distribution, service management, retail, warehouse management, manufacturing and CRM to the mid-range market. Accpac solutions are delivered to 130 countries exclusively through a global network of solution providers, including over 150 throughout Africa. Softline Accpac's product line includes: Accpac ERP, Accpac CRM, Accpac RMS, Service Manager and Accpac Insight. Softline Accpac also distributes Sage ERP X3, a full-service enterprise management software system for mid-to-large businesses. With a choice of languages, currencies, enterprises, locations and legislations, Sage ERP X3 offers an efficient, multi-company solution.

About Softline
Softline is a leading provider of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions to small, medium and large sized companies. Founded in 1988 by Ivan Epstein, Alan Osrin and Steven Cohen, Softline was established during the formative years of the software industry and listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa in February 1997. Softline expanded to establish a strong position within its area of focus in South Africa and Australia. Focused on the development of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions, Softline has a 20 year track record as a market leader. The group has a broad range of products offering users a variety of software solutions to run their businesses efficiently. Softline’s leading brands include Softline Accpac, Softline Enterprise, Softline Pastel (Accounting and Payroll) and Softline VIP. The combination of the group’s product offerings provide Softline customers with comprehensive, well-branded accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions. In November 2003, Softline was acquired by the Sage Group plc, a FTSE 100 company. The software group includes market-leading businesses throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia, supplying business software to the small, medium and large sized business community. Softline has a solid track record of profitability and cash generation. The group delivers quality accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions that improve the efficiencies of businesses around the world.

About the Sage Group plc
The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software solutions and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage has 5.8 million customers and more than 14,500 employees worldwide. We operate in over 26 countries covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For further information please visit www.sage.com.
 
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