Exel News Stories

Chemical Reaction: Croda give thumbs up to EFACS
Press Release, August 2004

Croda Application Chemicals, part of Croda Group plc, has selected the EFACS business solution from Nottingham based authors, Exel Computer Systems, to replace its existing system.

Croda manufactures specialist chemicals including lubricants and rust prevention products for the engineering industry. Currently it has a turnover of around £10m and employs 65 people at a modern manufacturing facility in Doncaster.

The company had been looking to implement a new system more closely suited to the needs of their business. Therefore, seven software providers were short listed and subjected to intensive review by a project team, including representatives from different functions across the company – production, sales, accounts. “It was important that the decision was taken communally, rather than by just the accountants!” Finance Director Nigel Standeven observes wryly. “We didn’t want to choose on the basis of the accounts package, but looked at the total functionality.”

The shortlist was narrowed to three companies, each had the opportunity to make a full presentation from which Exel was finally selected.

“The competition was very close,” continues Nigel Standeven, “but on balance we felt that EFACS was the most user-friendly system, encompassing all our requirements with minimum fuss and few changes. In fact very little bespoke programming was necessary.”

Training at Croda is approaching completion, and the system is due to go live at the end of March 2003.

“We anticipate that EFACS will deliver better management information, and help us to control our business better on a day to day basis,” Nigel concludes.

Exel Computer Systems is one of the UK’s major authors of specialist software for manufacturers. Operating from three sites across the UK, Exel has a global distributor network and a wide customer base. Their EFACS business solution has been specially designed to meet the needs of manufacturers across many different industries, from strict traceability and engineering change management requirements, through to high volume schedule-driven component manufacturers looking at lean manufacturing techniques