ABP Food Group is one of Europe’s largest privately owned food processors, operating across different business sectors spanning Ireland, the UK and Continental Europe. ABP comprises four separate divisions: beef, protein, renewables and one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of pet foods.
Unifying business structures with M3
Following new acquisitions, ABP has a policy of consolidating each division into their corporate M3 environment to create standardisation across processes and systems. After significant changes within the ABP UK division, a restructure of the M3 divisions and warehouses was required and the project was given a set timeline. The local IT team required temporary resource with the necessary skills to help them successfully deliver a M3 divisional restructure project within the timeline.
The project scope involved reorganising the way two of their sites were set up on M3 into separate divisions, facilities and warehouses. The main challenge facing ABP from operating out of one division was that it did not allow them to achieve their strategic aim of each site being their own profit centre. On an operational level, having two separate sites classified as one warehouse in M3 meant that there were severe restrictions in terms of planning values, identifying locations, stock movements and adjustments and reporting.
Calling on the Anthesis skillset
ABP required support from someone with both the required skills and immediate availability. Tight deadlines meant the first division had to be live in 8 weeks and the second in 12. With very short notice, Anthesis was able to supply a Services Manager who could not only provide consultancy support but also had the necessary expertise to assist with management of the project.
The key elements of the project were:
- First division live in 8 weeks and the second in 12.
- Optimising existing reports and documents.
- Allocating the fixed assets between the two divisions and their configuration.
- Testing of all processes in new division and creation and adjustment of accounting setup.
- Cutover preparation including splitting out incoming EDI orders, configuration changes, closing all WIP and orders, part number changes, etc.
- Go Live that included creation of lot numbers, movement of all stock, deactivation of part numbers, full stock reconciliation and verification of account transactions.
Go live on schedule
The new division was created and went live on schedule, 8 weeks after the project started.
The second project was to migrate their other site into its own division. The tasks were broadly similar, although a higher volume of stock meant increased emphasis on stock movement and reconciliation. This project was completed on time and went live a month later.
ABP was pleased with the performance delivered by Anthesis and has retained our Services Manager to work on the next group project, the implementation of M3 into another meat processing plant in Tunbridge Wells. This is a six month project to implement Manufacturing, Sales and Finance across the site and to replace the current legacy financial and production systems.
Mike Stride, the Anthesis Service Manager, has over 16 years’ experience of both consultancy and project management on Movex/M3. He offers consultancy expertise across the range of M3 functionality from operations, sales and manufacturing as well as providing project management for upgrades, re-structuring and new implementations.
“The challenge is finding the right professional services which are available when you need them. Anthesis’ flexible approach and bank of industry and M3 application skills helped to support what was an aggressive timeline of projects which have been delivered on time and on budget, with no unexpected impacts on the wider business.” CIO of ABP UK
