Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Avanquest Solutions Pulls Supply Chain Tighter for Northern Marine

Avanquest Solutions Pulls Supply Chain Tighter for Northern Marine

Avanquest Solutions has delivered a Supply Chain Management and Accounts Payable solution at Northern Marine Management Limited (NMM) to speed up procurement and payment business processes. This has increased productivity and cut costs, “By reducing the volume of paper we send around the world” said Dominic Fernandez, Senior Finance Manager at NMM.

NMM receive 40,000 – 50,000 invoices a year from global suppliers and has to provide a consistent service to Vessel Managers for the requisition, delivery and payment for all the items needed to support the fleet, wherever they are in the world.

Avanquest analysed their business processes and implemented an integrated solution to capture, interrogate and process documents, using Workflow to handle the complex ordering procedures and manage the entire tendering, procurement and payment processes.

A browser based system has been installed in the Glasgow office. The repository can be accessed via a Citrix application in ‘real time’, allowing users instant access for look-up from anywhere in the world. Documents are held in RTF (Rich Text Format) so amendments and notes are easily added. “It is like having an electronic post-it note” said Dominic.

Operations have been streamlined and costs reduced. There are currently 90 users, but these will increase as the project is further rolled out.

The Avanquest solution is also helping to ensure that NMM meet the Sarbanes Oxley criteria for compliance with USA Financial Rules and Regulations as NMM’s parent company Stena AB is required to comply as a result of raising finance in the USA markets.

Future plans include the integration of the Avanquest solution with a new finance package in 2008, enhancing workflows and integration with Microsoft Infopath for highly efficient Purchase Requisitions to be made from vessels at sea.

Northern Marine Management Limited (NMM) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stena AB Gothenburg. The Company provides global ship management services for ship owners and operators. Technical management, crew management purchasing, vessel commercial management, accounts and new build consultancy are examples of services provided.

The Clydebank office employs over 100 staff. Globally, Northern Marine Management employs more than 5,000 sea staff. On-shore employees are located all over the world and Northern Marine Management maintain operational offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Gothenburg, Houston, Mumbai, Manila, Hamburg and Singapore

Further information about Avanquest Solutions is available at www.avanquest-solutions.co.uk

Notes to Editors:
Avanquest and Northern Marine are both available for interview.

Contacts:

Press Information
Alison Hall
Email: ahall@avanquest.co.uk
Tel: 01752 241464
Mobile: 07500 012122

Sales
Email: sales@avanquest.co.uk
Tel: 01962 835053