THE POUPART GROUP WINS WITH MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV
Poupart was selected for the Microsoft Customer Excellence Award for Distribution Leadership because of its innovative use of Microsoft technologies to deliver measurable benefits to its organisation and customers. To win awards like Poupart call us today on 0845 084 0152.
One of the UK’s largest suppliers of quality soft-fruit, Poupart previously operated in a disparate and siloed systems environment. Today, Poupart’s solution environment includes: Microsoft Dynamics® NAV, Microsoft BizTalk Server, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Commerce Gateway. The company-wide project involved 80 users in finance, sales and marketing, category management, technical, operations and purchasing.
DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD
In the nomination Matthew said "The project was delivered on time and within budget. Tectura adopted a phased project approach and focused on resolving any problems as they arose to cause as little disruption to the business as possible. We see these as critical components of an implementation that was successful from the day we went live." Matthew Butlin, IT Manager, Poupart.
In addition Matthew Butlin said he sees several benefits of the long term partnership with Tectura. He is able to use Tectura as a sounding board to evaluate how best to accommodate business changes within the system to ensure enhancements will be feasible for future upgrades. "The high quality of any modification is a given" he concludes. "We have also established an easy and accurate budgeting process, as we are able to work with Tectura to plan our systems years in advance based on the business requirements."
Poupart - Microsoft Dynamics Award full press releasePoupart video case study
POUPART - MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV SUCCESS STORY
In our Poupart video case study Laurence Olins - Poupart: Executive Chairman talks through why they chose Microsoft Dynamics NAV, how it effectively works with their business and the benefits it has brought them.
Based in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, Poupart is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of quality soft-fruit, top-fruit, stone-fruit, citrus, cherries, grapes and a host of other products to multiple retailers and independents
Poupart has been trading successfully since the middle of the 19th century and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Argent Group Europe Ltd in 1997. To improve control of management information and enable better business decision-making based on accurate, up-to-date data, Poupart turned to Tectura to deploy Microsoft Dynamics® NAV.
MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV BENEFITS
- Enabled business growth by acquisition
- Improved business decisions based on centralised, integrated data
- Enhanced customer relationships
- Streamlined product management
- Reduced time spent on reporting
- Increased efficiency and improved supply chain management
- Saved time and eliminated errors with portal for growers and pack houses
- Up-to-date accurate daily, weekly and seasonal forecasts from growers
WHY POUPART CHOSE MICROSOFT DYNAMICS
Poupart began researching solutions that could deliver reliable and accurate information for effective sales, stock control and promotional planning - the business processes key to Poupart’s success. “We based our decision on key criteria, which included flexibility and scalability,” says Matthew Butlin, IT Manager and project manager at Poupart. The company’s search included industry specific suppliers as well as global players such as SAP, Oracle and Microsoft.
The solution which most comprehensively addressed Poupart’s requirements was Microsoft Dynamics NAV, delivered by Tectura a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. “We looked at the financial status of all the vendors, the track record and expertise of the partners and, of course, how we felt about working with them,” continues Butlin. “The Microsoft solution ensured strong integration with the rest of our IT infrastructure and Tectura, with their excellent methodology, disciplined and thorough approach and general industry expertise, were simply head and shoulders above the rest.”
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is at the heart of the Poupart solution, which also includes Microsoft BizTalk Server and Microsoft SQL Server, standardising business processes across the group. The company-wide project involved 80 users in finance, sales and marketing, product management, technical, operations and purchasing. In addition, Tectura installed Microsoft Commerce Gateway to automate the exchange of data with the supermarkets using EDI, and with the pack houses and growers, via a web-based XML application. “The project was delivered on time and within budget,” confirms Butlin. “Tectura adopted a phased project approach and focused on resolving any problems as they arose, to cause as little disruption as possible. We see these as critical components of an implementation that was successful from the day we went live.”
ERP BENEFITS FROM TECTURA
Poupart can now see the exact stock situation at each pack house using Microsoft BizTalk Server. Once the stock has been assessed, a shipment order is instantly available to the pack house. 100% of shipment order confirmations are now being returned to Poupart and received into Microsoft Dynamics NAV automatically. As a result, Poupart can monitor each shipment and return exactly, enabling more accurate planning. “Our service to the supermarkets has improved through increased visibility,” says Dawson. “In fact, the system now provides complete tracking and traceability of all products. This means if we are asked to compensate our clients for damaged goods, we can check the handling process of those goods from original receipt to final delivery.”
In a market where prices are under continual negotiation, attracting new suppliers and customers by offering an optimal service is essential. Crucially, management information is now available on demand through integrated and reliable reporting capability. In addition, Poupart is now able to draw on an increasing bank of historical data, thereby enhancing its specialist product management service. “Microsoft Dynamics NAV has allowed us to provide product management and promotion planning much more effectively, and in a much more joined up manner, than we were ever able to do before,” says Olins. This is borne out by financial results. “In the year after implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV our sales increased by 35%, with no additional headcount,” confirms Olins.
Since the initial implementation, the relationship between Poupart and Tectura has continued to blossom. Tectura helped Poupart expand their usage of Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s rich functionality. All transactions are now lot tracked through the system at consignment line level, allowing for better traceability and reporting. Poupart can also monitor charges and costs associated with the pallets and trays used to transport their deliveries
POUPART & MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV IN THE PRESS
Fresh Produce Journal: New IT solution opens doors for Poupart (pdf)Retail Technology: Distribution Success (pdf)
Total Recall: Product Traceability (pdf)
Poupart - Microsoft Dynamics NAV case study(pdf)
More Information
MORE ABOUT THE POUPART GROUPERP SOLUTIONS FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
MORE ABOUT MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV
MORE MICROSOFT DYNAMICS NAV CASE STUDIES
Call us: 0845 084 0152 
Email us: uk.info@tectura.co.uk