Isle of Man Creameries places major £375,000 order for SSI TROPOS ERP solution

  • A rapidly expanding Isle of Man premium cheese producer will implement end-to-end supply chain solution to increase visibility at all stages of production
  • Tight control over supply chain will ensure it delivers the requirements of supermarkets including Tesco, Co-op, ASDA and Sainsbury's
  • Extends SSI's customer base in the chilled food sector

LONDON - 13 February, 2007 - SSI, a Chelford Group company and provider of ERP and supply chain management solutions for regulated industries, has announced a major £375,000 order for its TROPOS ERP solution from Isle of Man Creameries, a leading UK cheese producer. Isle of Man Creameries is experiencing rapid expansion, and now supplies the 'Cheeses of the Isle of Man' range to all major UK multiples - including Tesco, Co-op, ASDA and Sainsbury's. The TROPOS solution will support this growth by enabling the company to increase supply chain control and visibility at every stage - from sales order processing to production, warehousing and distribution.

This new win further extends SSI's customer base in the food industry, with other customers including Fox's Confectionery, George Adams, Wrights Pies and Cauldron Foods. SSI's TROPOS ERP system is designed for companies in the food industry and includes sector-specific features which address issues around traceability, food hygiene and perishable goods in the retail supply chain. At Isle of Man Creameries, a key part of the reporting system will focus around the farmers co-operative's milk production.

"We were looking for a solution that would enable us to enhance efficiencies throughout every area of the business," commented Stephen Keeley, Director of Finance at Isle of Man Creameries. "As sales grow in the UK, and beyond in export markets, the Isle of Man Creameries needs to respond by improving processes and flows of information to key individuals, to aid business development and strategic planning. SSI has provided a package that will allow us to focus on the needs of each development and improve standards - from the initial input of an order, through to production planning, stock control, dispatch, warehousing, invoicing and financial control."

"Companies in the food sector, like Isle of Man Creameries, are constantly realising the benefits an end-to-end ERP solution delivers," added Neville Merritt, Group Marketing Director, Chelford Group. "In an industry where production processes require tight control to ensure maximum quality standards, it is essential that a company has full visibility of each part of the supply chain, and key information can be accessed quickly and precisely. TROPOS provides detailed analysis of purchasing, stock, and customer information to support decision-making all the way through the company, resulting in substantial business benefits and a secure base for future growth."

TROPOS will provide Isle of Man Creameries with the unique combination of software, technology, experience, services and future-proofing that will help ensure a seamless transition to greater and enhanced automation of purchasing and supply chain management. The platform gives each user easy access to the organisation's information in a controlled manner - reports can be rapidly produced, trends can be analysed, and comprehensive information can be obtained to support decision making at all points in the supply chain.

About Isle of Man Creameries
Isle of Man Creameries is a 55-strong co-operative of dairy farmers dedicated to producing quality cheeses that reflect the traditional skills and long culinary heritage of the island. Employing 90 staff and turning over £13 million, the Isle of Man Creameries supplies dairy products to doorsteps and retailer customers in all corners of the Isle of Man, providing a large percentage of the population with fresh dairy products and an ever-increasing range of groceries.

Building on the success of Manx sales, the Creameries have also developed a successful UK retail sales side to the business - with almost all leading UK multiples now stocking its distinctive "Cheeses of the Isle of Man" range, including Tesco, Co-op, ASDA and Sainsbury's.

About SSI
SSI specialises in the implementation and lifecycle support of web-optimised manufacturing and supply chain solutions for highly regulated process industries and 'lean' discrete manufacturers.

SSI is the developer of the class-leading TROPOS(tm) ERP solution, selected by many companies in the food and drink, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and mill based manufacturing sectors. 'Lean' discrete manufacturers also benefit from significantly reduced lead times by using the TROPOS demand-pull model.

SSI offers end-to-end supply chain solutions including inventory optimisation, advanced planning, data collection systems and business intelligence solutions.

To complement its application solutions, SSI provides all the services required for lifecycle support with a single point of responsibility: project management, application implementation support, hosted application services, hosted web collaboration, remote managed services, bespoke systems development, systems integration, web development and technical consultancy.

Since 1982, SSI has been providing competitive advantage to a client base operating in the mid market, including small companies and subsidiaries of multinationals and large independent companies: Adams Pork Products, Uniq, G&J Greenall, Fox's Confectionery, Saxbys, Inter Link Foods, Giles Foods, Cauldron Foods and Gala. Recent wins include Wrights Pies and Dairy Farmers of Britain.

SSI is part of the AIM-quoted Chelford Group (CHR).

Neville Merritt
Sales and Marketing Director
SSI
01256 685296
Neville.Merritt@ssi-world.com

Duncan Burford
ThePressOffice, PR for SSI
Tel: 01780 721433
dburford.pressoffice@targetwire.com

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