AGC begins IT overhaul, inks deal with CSG

West Australian manufacturing and construction firm, AGC has done a deal with ICT services company CSG (ASX:CSV) for the overhaul of its IT systems to increase automation and efficiency.

The deal was driven by the need for AGC, a subsidiary of AusGroup which operates throughout the Asia Pacific region, to eliminate the paper-based systems currently in place to systems that automate processes and provide accurate information promptly.

AGC CIO, David Redpath, said as the market in which AGC operates has changed and it was necessary to keep pace with IT solutions to continue to deliver quality results for clients.

“The big challenge we’ve got is paper-based systems which mean the majority of systems we have are fragmented and we struggle to get information out in a timely fashion,” he said. “It’s also us preparing ourselves for a growth plan we’ve mapped out for the next three years and we need to make sure we have the systems to match that.

“Our clients now expect a level of automation, integration of systems and timely information that provide more efficient processes.

“A sophisticated IT system could support our people by providing the right tools for the job, rather than being time consuming manual processes.”

CSG won the contract over five other vendors following a drawn-out 18-month tender during which, Redpath said, AGC did a full enterprise application review which identified the fundamental requirements.

The deal will involve the implementation of a number of Oracle services including the e-business suite, Hard Dollar for estimating, and Avontus for scaffolding management.

“We looked at everything the business needed from human resources, supply chain management and manufacturing processes through to detailed financial reporting to develop a system that will support AGC now and well into the future,” CSG group general manager, Julie-Ann Kerin, said in a statement.

The implementation is due to start on 1 August this year with a scheduled completion date of March 2012.

According to Redpath, the company conducted a full infrastructure refresh in readiness for the project, both of which are part of a four year IT overhaul plan.

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