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| Case Studies - Solventis Limited - Bulk
chemical trading and distribution |
| The background |
 Solventis
operate in the fast moving and highly competitive chemical trading
sector. Their business is based on incisive market knowledge
and good customer service. Although it is a relatively new entrant,
Solventis already have a very substantial turnover in Europe
and overseas export markets. In order to serve the Continental
market Solventis have a branch office in Antwerp as well as
their head office in Surrey. Specialist contractors handle all
product logistics. This strategy allows the business to be operated
with a low fixed cost base but places good communications, controls
and administration at a premium.
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| The challenge |
Solventis orders are large volume, high value transactions
usually requiring complex administration including very specific
instructions to storage sites, haulage contractors, surveyors
and other contractors. After two years of rapid growth and ever
increasing administrative challenges it became clear that an
integrated solution was essential to replace the simple “desktop”
tool based manual systems that had been used to date. Major
issues included compliance with complex Single Market VAT regulations,
duty status tracking and managing stock held in over twenty
locations in three countries.
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| The solution |
Cortec’s integrated sales order processing, warehouse
and stock management, purchasing and accounting system was
chosen to support this growing, successful business. The Cortec
system now in use was implemented over a period of three months
in 2005. Users in Antwerp run thin client sessions on a terminal
server located in the UK. Common use of a single database
means that all users are able to view and use customer, supplier,
stock and transactional information from wherever they happen
to be working including hotel rooms on the other side of the
world. The system produces all of the major documentation
associated with Solventis’ business processes including
direct generation of purchase orders for back to back trading
sales. All stocks, including product on order, can be viewed
and used to fulfil orders. Of vital importance is the ability
to sell volatile price product purchased speculatively from
Asia and America during whilst it is on the high seas.
The Cortec package is closely integrated with Open Accounts
financials allowing sales and purchase ledger posting to take
place automatically. Sales ledger open item balances from
Open Accounts are interrogated to calculate customer indebtedness,
which in turn is used within Cortec for credit control. Cortec
Solutions first became involved in 2002 when Solventis needed
a sophisticated multi currency accounting solution to manage
their international trading. The Open Accounts financial software
that was installed has proved to be a highly effective answer
to that requirement.
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| The benefits |
Solventis are quickly coming to terms with the positive impact
that Cortec is having on their business. The initial benefits
are simple - accuracy, confidence and reliability. The amount
of time necessary to process transactions has already been dramatically
reduced. Cortec will allow Solventis to handle a very substantial
increase in business without having to increase administrative
staff. Customer service has been dramatically improved. There
are many features and capabilities that have yet to be fully
utilised including integrated e-mail and fax generation.
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