Alro SA Invests Over 5.9 Million USD in Unified Corporate Information System Based on SAP’s ERP Platform
Lun, 19/11/2007 - 01:00
Slatina, November 19th, 2007 – Alro, the largest aluminium producer in Central and Eastern Europe, in collaboration with IBS, the leading IT and consulting firm in Russia, announces the launch of a unified corporate information system based on SAP’s ERP platform. The total investment made by Alro SA to implement the SAP ERP exceeded USD 5.9 million. The new system became operational on September 1, 2007.
Gheorghe Dobra, CEO of Alro Slatina, stated: “Implementing a state-of-the-art information system significantly enhances the quality and availability of management reports. This will enable management to streamline all processes within Alro, thus improving the efficiency and profitability of operations.”
The SAP ERP system will serve as a platform for business process unification and as a control tool for the company’s activities. To remain competitive in international markets, Alro has taken these additional measures to optimize costs.
The project, which began on November 1, 2006, aimed to enhance management efficiency through the standardization of functions common to all plants, the centralization of non-productive functions at the head office, and real-time control over enterprise business processes via an integrated information system.
Alro's unified corporate information system, which includes transaction and analytical systems, is built on SAP’s Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP ERP). In Phase 1 of the project, the finance management module was implemented (including accounting to both local Romanian and international IFRS standards), along with modules for management accounting, investment management, materials flow management, purchasing, sales, and production planning and control. Additionally, a budgeting and analytical reporting system was established. The strategic planning system based on SAP’s Business Intelligence platform is expected to be fully operational before the end of 2007.
During Phase 2, scheduled for 2008, Alro plans to further develop the reporting features of the already implemented modules and to install a Plant Maintenance control system (based on SAP PM). Integration with existing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and the SAP ERP system is also planned. The system will be localized for operation in Romania. Following the successful implementation of the SAP ERP in Romania, Vimetco – Alro’s majority shareholder – intends to introduce the same information system to its aluminium operations in China.