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NewPage — Maritimes, Nova Scotia
Background
NewPage Port Hawkesbury Limited (SEPH), the largest forest products
company in Nova Scotia, produces newsprint and supercalendered papers
for its customers throughout North America. The company employs more
than 850 direct employees. Over 700 individuals and companies are
involved in wood supply, woodlands contracting, and transportation.
Challenge
SEPH decided to replace its
existing inflexible mainframe system, which relies on batch
processing for reports, with a robust system that provides timely
information. The importance
of tight integration of suppliers and the need to share up-to-date
delivery information with all stakeholders have created the need for
SEPH to:
- Better track
over 700,000 tonnes of pulp and saw logs annually, involving
multiple vendors and multi-staged contracts.
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Have instant and direct access to and from multiple
local and remote users.
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Integrate with ARCINFO GIS and GEAC accounting.
Solution
LIMS with SQL Server tracks all
inventory and manages all business rules (e.g. contracts, bonus
calculations, taxes, etc.). The table-based configuration in LIMS
client-server system provides flexibility to adjust business rules,
change weight to volume using conversion factors, update vendor
information, add or edit lots and species.
Cost, production, delivery and payment information is available
to all users in real time.
47 regular users at multiple locations access the new system with the
LIMS Windows Client. Additional users may be added as needed. A
Virtual Private Network (VPN) enables connections to foresters' homes.
LIMS gains access to GIS system
through Inform Forest Manager product. Connection to the GEAC
accounting system adjusts necessary accounts, with holdbacks and other
considerations tracked as needed. Direct payment to vendors is also
available.
Project
3LOG Systems Inc. successfully completed this project in less than a
year: a two-month GAP analysis was followed by an eight-month
implementation and configuration period. 3LOG exceeded SEPH
expectations.
Results
3LOG provides NewPage with
an integrated inventory management system. LIMS is a suite of
operational and financial applications, which can easily integrate
with NewPage’s external systems such as its financial software and
GIS.
LIMS will provide NewPage with:
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Log Harvest Production
Analysis
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Log Cost Analysis
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Contractor and Vendor Payments (including advance and
reconciliation)
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Automated stumpage reporting and payment
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Log Inventory Control
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Log Sale and Transfer Management
Benefits
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Operation managers, foresters, marketers and accountants are able
to run scenarios and create custom reports to analyze data and
make informed decisions.
- Integration with MS Office applications is
available for internal and external reports.
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Ongoing and one-time costs such as road construction are managed
as needed.
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"Excellent interface with corporate SAP accounting and current weigh scale...Implemented system and trained users in less than 8 weeks from agreement to go-live...
Great product support following go-live."
–Paul D. Ferre,
Fiber Procurement Manager, Georgia Biomass LLC, Waycross, GA
"The 3LOG team did a great job evaluating our specific business processes and configuring a system to meet our needs...Many redundant and intermediate tasks have been eliminated...This has greatly improved the efficiency and accuracy of our data processing."
–Paul Sorek,
Matson Lumber Company, Brookville, PA
"LIMS strengthens the business process cycles.
Efficiency has increased on the Information / Reporting Management...
By doing this, it has opened the door on virtually answering any cost question..."
–Roger Kopchia,
Millar Western Forest Products
"...LIMS allows managers and operations staff to view cost and production information...
We are extremely impressed with the responsiveness of 3LOG support staff."
–Glen Cariou,
Mistik Management
"It's been excellent! We migrated to LIMS...
Such efficiency strengthens our company's inventory management and business cycle.
3LOG's professionals have in-depth knowledge and experience both in
the forest industry and in information technology."
–Randy Peters,
NewPage, Nova Scotia
"Consistent 3LOG leads and assignments of resources.
This has helped communications and knowledge transfer as we implemented... excellent teamwork!"
–Joe Kresse,
Weyerhaeuser Project Manager
"3LOG software has enabled Roseburg to standardize business processes across multiple facilities, collect and analyze data and react quickly to market opportunities."
–Vinod Santha,
IT Director, Roseburg
"After a demo of the 3LOG software there was no doubt that it was a far superior product than anything else we had seen in the market today. We installed the software and are ecstatic with the productivity gains we were able to achieve."
–Mark Hathaway,
IT Director, Sun Mountain Lumber Company
"LIMS and WeighWiz are great products...user friendly... a very flexible system.
Upload and download capability with Excel is a real 'plus.' Fast turnaround time on modification requests."
–Jerry Mounts,
Financial Manager, Weyerhaeuser Southern Timberlands
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