MARK WILSON ERP and corporate planning tools help to level the playing field for local companies competing against larger international companies
Home-grown enterprise resource planning (ERP) software provider Syspro and Canada-based corporate performance management (CPM) multinational Prophix Software have entered into a global partnership to provide a broad range of services for their combined set of clients in growth markets, particularly in Africa, says Syspro Africa MD Mark Wilson.
“Syspro has deep connections to many industry verticals in Africa and the combination of their capabilities with our CPM and robust analytical modelling tools provides a technology suite that supports better business decision-making by integrating budgeting and planning data into their ERP systems,” says Prophix Software president and COO Alok Ajmera.
The African and South African markets are primed for integrated solutions that support effective business resource planning and data-driven operational agility underpinned by analytics, he adds.
“We are seeing growth in Africa, and the partnership enables us to provide holistic solutions for existing and new clients. Syspro has a strong footprint in Africa and aims to strengthen its position with the partnership,” says Wilson.
Syspro chief product officer Paulo de Matos highlights the youthful demographics and the growth of business and industry in Africa as key drivers for the partnership and Syspro’s expansion plans.
Syspro clients can use the Prophix CPM systems to be more agile and respond rapidly to changes in market demands and, in conjunction with Syspro’s partnership with manufacturing execution system company Lynq, can help companies to reduce waste and improve efficiencies.
“The reporting, financial consolidation, budgeting and scenario planning capabilities integrated at the operational level with Syspro provide insights for our customers that translate into improved competitiveness, owing to improved decision-making support capability.”
Additionally, the agriculture and agro-processing industries are displaying steady growth, which provides good prospects for demand for the integrated ERP and CPM systems, while the urbanisation taking place in Africa – which mirrors global urbanisation – is driving a growing consumer market and a commensurate growth in consumer-focused industries.
“We are excited to provide tools that improve organisations locally. In Africa, the capabilities of an ERP provider, in combination with significant planning tools [enable] organisations on a growth path . . . to gain real-time insight into their operations and foresight of the trajectory of their operations. These abilities and systems help to level the playing field for local companies competing against larger international companies,” says Wilson.
The partnership will not only deliver additional technologies for clients and prospective clients, but enables effective planning and management to be deployed in all business units.
“The ability to move planning and budgeting from the head office to the industrial, manufacturing and distribution divisions of a business [ensures] integrated corporate management that will improve the competitiveness of these companies in emerging markets.”