Migration to JD Edwards EnterpriseOne at Kruger:
A strategic transformation to harmonize industrial operations
NEEDS
Over the years, Kruger Inc. had made numerous acquisitions and, as a result, found itself with disparate information systems. «It was becoming increasingly costly to maintain all of these different solutions; on the one hand, because of the diversified knowledge that this required on our part, and on the other hand, because every time we wanted to optimize a business process, it had to be done seven or eight times, » Jean-François Bergeron observed. Kruger consequently decided to migrate all of the operations management systems in its industrial division to a common platform, and to take the opportunity to standardize and optimize its business processes. To this end, it chose to use its Wayagamack plant as a model.
“ It was a strategic project for us. While we wanted an optimal solution, what was most important was delivering on time and within budget. Mission accomplished. ”
Jean-François Bergeron
Vice-President, Information Systems and Technologies
Kruger
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Concerned about standardizing its computer systems and business processes in a dozen plants, Kruger Inc. called on the Era Consulting Group to redefine its corporate model, and to carry out the migration from JD Edwards World 7.3 to EnterpriseOne 9.0 at the Wayagamack plant in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. On the strength of this successful project, Kruger entrusted ERA with the systems migration in its other plants.
” It was a strategic project for us. While we wanted an optimal solution, what was most important was delivering on time and within budget. Mission accomplished. ”
— Jean-François Bergeron, Vice-President, Information Systems and Technologies, Kruger
The project had two main deliverables:
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Migrate from version 7.3 of JD Edwards World to version 9.0 of EnterpriseOne
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Build a revised business process model for Kruger that could be deployed across its other plants
BENEFITS
- Migration completed on time and in budget
- Introduction of a common platform and database
- Standardization and optimization of processes
- Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
- Simplified creation of financial reports
- Introduction of a shared services environment
- Increased flexibility
- Greater user autonomy
Kruger notably redefined its purchasing cycle with a more granular approval level for improved internal control. The new preventive maintenance process for equipment rivals the best specialized solutions in the industry.
Some benefits will be realized once the migration of the other plants is completed:
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Use of a single system and common standards for all
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Reduction in administrative and maintenance costs
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Efficiency gains
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Improved performance analysis and management
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Ability to offer certain shared services
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Easier transfer of resources from one plant to another
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Greater flexibility to redesign processes
SOLUTION AND PARTNERSHIP
The technological choice naturally fell on the latest version of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, as some of Kruger’s plants were already using products from the same family, and the company already had in-house expertise with the platform.
After conducting a rigorous selection process involving four partners, Kruger ultimately chose Era Consulting Group, a seasoned partner that offers its clients the JD Edwards expertise of a large firm combined with the flexibility of a smaller company.
“ That’s what tipped the scales in their favor, ” explained Mr. Bergeron.
When it came to improving business processes, the biggest challenge was to maximize the implemented tool while preserving the company’s unique culture. Era demonstrated:
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Its in-depth knowledge of JD Edwards
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Its ability to interpret and identify best practices
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Its ability to implement them
Era had carefully planned the project scope. As a result, there were very few changes to the project plan, and the company’s team of analysts was able to focus on optimizing the integration of business processes.
“ Era stands out for the expertise of its resources, its great flexibility, and the excellence of its project management. ” — Jean-François Bergeron
Era understands that each client and each location is different, making flexibility essential. That’s why it advocates a partnership-based delivery approach and strives to closely integrate its team with the client’s.
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