A leading provider of enterprise software for supply & demand optimisation and predictive modelling, announced today that it has signed a contract with Xstrata Coal Queensland (XCQ) for the deployment of SolveIT Software’s Supply Chain Network Optimiser (SCNO) and Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) system. Xstrata Coal Queensland is running the project in conjunction with the deployment of Schneider Electric’s Ampla MES application layer.

SolveIT Software’s APS and SCNO applications will be configured for optimising the Newlands, Collinsville, and Abbott Point (NCA) mine-to-port supply chain, and will incorporate advanced features invented by SolveIT Software, such as decision visibility, dynamic trade-off analysis, and global optimisation. The applications will generate optimal mine blend and train schedules, as well as plan and monitor inventory and supply chain capacity for the ports used in the NCA Coal Chain in Queensland. Some key objectives will be to maximise supply chain throughput at stated quality targets, maximise service levels, maximise production efficiency, and minimise production cost.

“We selected SolveIT Software for Integrated Planning of the NCA demand chain as they are experienced in optimising complex and dynamic logistics processes,” said Mr Benno Giuliani, Transport and Logistics Manager at Xstrata Coal Queensland. “The NCA coal chain is a key asset in the Xstrata Coal Australia portfolio and is set for significant expansion in coming years. Ensuring we exceed customer expectations through optimisation of value, quality, quantity and cost of XCQ’s coal products is our primary goal, and logistics optimisation initiatives across our systems landscape is a key driver for improved commercial and operational outcomes.”

“The relationship with Xstrata Coal Queensland is extremely important to SolveIT Software,” said Mr James Balzary, Director of Resources for SolveIT Software. “It builds on our current projects in the broader Xstrata Group with mine-to-port planning, scheduling and optimisation at Xstrata Copper and Xstrata Zinc, and confirms our commitment to next generation approaches for value chain optimisation in the mining sector.”

The NCA Project includes the Newlands open cut and underground longwall operations, the Colllinsville open cut mine and the Abbot Point coal terminal. The project is a joint venture between Xstrata Coal (55%), Itochu Coal Resources (35%) and Sumitomo (10%). Abbot Point coal terminal is owned by the Ports Corporation of Queensland.

Source:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/solveit-software-wins-tender-at-xstrata-coal-queensland-for-mine-to-port-supply-chain-optimisation-2012-02-06

A provider of workforce and compliance software, said total revenue for the year was flat while EBITDA fell to £1.6m from £3.8m before.

The IT firm, which specialises in software that organises shifts in the healthcare sector, British Army, Nato and Australia’s armed forces, said revenue in the period was £16m for the six months ended 30 November 2011 compared to £15.9m before.

Underlying organic revenue growth, excluding acquisitions in the current year and the major Australian Healthcare contract secured in the previous year, was 15%.

The group, which is a major supplier to the NHS, said recurring revenue increased by 42% to £7.5m and to 47% of total revenue. Licence revenue fell to £5.4m from £7.7m and Healthcare revenue slipped to £12.1m from £12.6m.

Chief executive officer Ian Bowles said he was pleased with the momentum and performance so far this year.

“Securing the multi-million pound, long term agreement with the Australian Defence Force in December is of significant importance to our full year revenues. This, combined with our confidence in the levels of business that we are seeing in our markets, enables us to look forward to a successful full year outcome,” he said.

Source:http://www.sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=19858782

The leading provider of Application Usage Management solutions for application producers and enterprises, announced today the acquisition of SCCM Expert, a Microsoft Gold Partner and founding member of the Microsoft System Center Alliance. SCCM Expert markets solutions that empower employees with on-demand software provisioning through an enterprise app store while providing IT complete visibility into their software assets.

The acquisition helps IT management better deliver and manage the ‘consumerisation of IT’ by providing enterprise users with a powerful app store portal to access and download on-premises, Cloud-based or virtualised enterprise applications anytime, anywhere, and tools to help IT maintain control, ensure accountability and software compliance. SCCM Expert Self Service delivers on-demand software request, approval routing and provisioning accessed through an app store that looks and feels familiar to users of consumer app store sites. Self Service aligns with Flexera Software’s Application Readiness solution, AdminStudio Suite, which enables user-centric computing and support for the consumerisation of IT by preparing and deploying applications for Windows 7 migrations and for use in traditional physical infrastructures, virtualised environments and the Cloud. Self Service will take continual Application Readiness one step further by giving end users an internal app store portal for quick and easy download of enterprise apps to their platform or device of choice, while eliminating the time and cost ordinarily involved with manual IT requests.

The SCCM Expert acquisition also helps organisations maintain software license optimisation and compliance as they move towards the consumerisation of IT. Software entitlement data from FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises, Flexera Software’s Enterprise License Optimisation solution, could be used to control what applications appear in the Self Service app store, and when software licenses for those applications are available. Likewise, data from Self Service about fulfilled application requests could be used as input into ongoing software license management and optimisation.

“We are thrilled about this acquisition because SCCM Expert’s superior products, technology and expertise complement our solutions and help broaden our vision for enabling and supporting management of the consumerisation of IT,” said Mark Bishof, Flexera Software’s chief executive officer. “Self Service gives more power to users by automating software request management and delivery while ensuring centralised control and software license optimisation through tracking of software assets from initial purchase to software audit compliance.”

“The synergies of this acquisition are tremendous and will enable enterprises to implement user-centric, app store computing models for applications running on premises, on devices, in virtualised environments and in the Cloud,” said John Juris, SCCM Expert’s chief executive officer. “IT as a Service for applications can become a reality through the combination of Self Service, AdminStudio Suite and FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises.”,

Source:http://www.realwire.com/releases/Flexera-Software-acquisition-streamlines-support-for-IT-consumerisation

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. of Israel has adopted QuadriSpace™ software products to streamline the manufacturing process of complex defense systems. The software allows users to rapidly create, update and deliver time-sensitive digital work instructions to the shop floor. Shop floor assemblers also benefit from rapid understanding of complicated processes through interactive 3D visualization. This implementation was a joint effort coordinated by Rafael’s IT and configuration management departments.

As product designs became more complex, the manufacturing process was found unsuitable for the high level of configurability required for assembly. Typically, the manufacturing process required the creation of paper packets distributed to the shop floor. Unfortunately, paper packets made it difficult to track revisions or to communicate complex assembly steps. Each time a revision occurred a new packet would be printed and physically delivered to the proper workstation.

Rafael indicates: “A new process based on QuadriSpace software solved the manufacturing process problems while generating additional benefits. Rafael uses QuadriSpace Pages3D Professional to create and maintain assembly instruction documents. Assembly instruction authors were able to learn the Pages3D product quickly and authored the work instructions rapidly.”
Since Rafael’s products are modified frequently, another significant advantage of Pages3D™ is the ability to rapidly update work instructions. When 3D CAD designs change, Pages3D updates entire documents or illustration sets with a single click. This has reduced the time required to update instructions by 90%.

The defense systems are now assembled using multiple shop floor terminals where the assembly instructions are retrieved straight from the enterprise PDM system. The instructions are encapsulated with QuadriSpace’s free Reader3D™ in an exe file to ensure capability of viewing from any workstation regardless of the programs installed. On every terminal a different work instruction is retrieved and the stations are configured “on‐the‐fly” with different Pages3D-authored instructions relevant to the specific needs of that station.

Each assembler, after minimal training, uses the assembly document on the shop floor and interacts with the document in order to fully understand the assembly steps. Instructions are viewed interactively and textual descriptions are displayed with animated 3D step-by-step processes. Assemblers have expressed appreciation for the new methods and assembly trainers are able to certify assemblers more rapidly. Shortening the time for certification allows flexibility on the assembly floor which, in turn, shortens the overall time to market.

Assembly trainers have determined that the learning process time on the shop floor is reduced by 30% when interactive 3D work instructions are used. It is also faster for Rafael to flex assemblers from one line to another or even to subcontractors. Pages3D fully supports Rafael’s requirement to be compliant on the assembly procedures and to fully document every revision change.

According to Widetech CEO, Eldad Sayada, QuadriSpace’s representative in Israel, “Widetech is very proud of Rafael’s decision to adopt and use QuadriSpace tools for critical defense systems assembly processes.. Widetech has represented QuadriSpace in Israel for many years and QuadriSpace’s continuous support has made this project successful”

Source:http://www10.mcadcafe.com/nbc/articles/1/1048556/QuadriSpaces-3D-Work-Instruction-Software-Streamlines-Rafaels-Assembly-Process?interstitial_displayed=Yes