“A good and reliable partner is a great asset to us”
KOMA is a one of a kind, ingenious producer of refrigeration technologies that has convinced the world. For more than 70 years it has been intimately up to speed with and comprehensively involved in understanding the specific characteristics of products that need to be chilled or frozen. KOMA is constantly seeking innovation for the benefit of its clients. Because of its self-critical approach KOMA came to the conclusion that it also needed to innovate within its own organization. A drive to further professionalize the organization was considered necessary. The 10 year old SAP system was no longer appropriate for the company’s international growth ambitions and needed to be replaced. The search for a stable standard solution and a specialized partner resulted in a choice for Microsoft Dynamics AX and Pulse. “A necessary innovation for a continuous pioneer”, says Leon Kuipers, ERP Project Leader.
“Geographic growth, a 10 year old SAP system that needed replacing and the need to organize processes more efficiently.” According to Leon Kuipers these were the reasons to launch an ERP selection program. KOMA’s international ambition was clear. “We wanted to use our strong name to achieve growth and to do that internationally as well. The BRIC countries, Scandinavia and the former Eastern Bloc could also count on our quality. The KOMA organization therefore had to be configured for this”, adds Kuipers.
A year of preparation
KOMA is self-critical and took adequate time to make the correct preparations. Kuipers: “We took a year to examine our processes critically. Where could we achieve efficiencies? What had to happen in order to do more with the same number of people? Ultimately, this resulted in a blueprint that we could then take to the market.”
“There are many providers in the market”, says Kuipers. KOMA paid a great deal of attention to the combination of a stable standard solution, a partner and specialist knowledge about the sector. Kuipers: “We were looking for a standard ERP solution that was significant and provided continuity. After all, we had to be able to use the package for at least 10 years. We quickly realized that only three potential parties remained: SAP, Infor and Microsoft Dynamics AX.”
We evaluated this shortlist further. “Without even having spoken to any of the potential partners individually we invited their head office staff to visit Roermond and exchange thoughts with us. We asked Microsoft for advice about the most suitable partner that we could invite to tender and they recommended Pulse to us”, says Kuipers. SAP fell by the wayside and the selection process was then continued with Infor and Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Reducing lead-times
“The central question in the final choice was which combination of partner and solution we could work with in order to achieve our growth strategy.” KOMA aims to achieve the international growth referred to by optimizing its communications with the outside world by using CRM functionality. Kuipers: “Currently that’s lacking completely in SAP.” KOMA is also going to be using the Sofon product configurator. “That will allow us to reduce our lead-times considerably”, says Kuipers. In the future KOMA will also be invoicing earlier, he concludes. “By equipping our service organization with tablets they will be able to reserve hours and materials more quickly and more easily. The real-time nature of the solution also means that we will be able to send out our invoices earlier.”
Trust
“Mutual trust that a successful collaboration could be achieved was very important when making the final choice of partner and that trust emerged when dealing with Pulse.” Kuipers explains how this came about. “The pre-sales phase at Pulse is always a project. That resulted in a team of people that were able to give a demonstration that was very identifiable. They had a good feel for the issues and they understood our processes. A good and reliable partner is a great asset to us”, concludes Kuipers.
About KOMATime does not stand still. For more than 70 years KOMA has been known as a major innovator. A one of a kind, ingenious producer of refrigeration technologies that has convinced the world. Thanks to its outstanding expert knowledge, inventiveness and daring it has been able to come up with really revolutionary solutions for preservation problems affecting baked goods and other foodstuffs time and time again.
KOMA's innovating preservation and conditioning technologies make production processes efficient and above all economically sound. KOMA systems and installations are in operation worldwide, on all continents. KOMA is internationally recognized for the high degree of innovation and quality that it personifies.
This rapid growth resulted throughout the world in the opening of wholly owned KOMA branches; first in Belgium and Germany, then in France and Japan and slightly later in Great Britain, Spain, Italy and Dubai (United Arab Emirates). KOMA employs 250 people. For more information about KOMA please visit
http://www.koma.nl/