Albert Abela Company (Sharjah and Northern Emirates) one of the leading catering companies in the Middle East, is to implement an advanced Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that will help it deliver services that are more efficient to its clients and integrate international operations.The project is being implemented by Emirates Computers, using the Microsoft Great Plains ERP solution, to automate Abela’s end-to-end business processes, by providing online stock tracking, financial management, real-time production status and online HR payroll and personnel functionality. “Catering is a demanding business involving customization, tight schedules and complex logistics. Inflight catering especially has multifaceted demands which are getting more complex with airlines seeking innovative ways to please passengers,” explains Joseph Salloum, regional general manager, Albert Abela Company, Sharjah and Northern Emirates. “These developments have put extra pressure on catering companies to deliver high quality service and eliminate delays that hamper timely deliveries. The most effective way of achieving this is to migrate to more advanced software solutions designed to enhance the overall performance, and productivity levels,” adds Salloum.Albert Abela Company, Sharjah and Northern Emirates, are part of the London-based Abela International, which specialises in inflight, outdoor, institutional and industrial catering. The company’s clientele include airlines, government agencies, educational institutions and private companies.”We assigned the job of identifying and implementing the right IT solution to our technology partner, Emirates Computers. We expect the new solution to help us achieve better customisation and eliminate the many frustrations we come across in the industry due to lack of appropriate technology solutions,” says Jamal Chamas, purchase manager, Albert Abela Company, Sharjah and Northern Emirates.The project focuses on inflight and outdoor catering modules, and backed by human resources and payroll functionality and a finger scan solution to complement the payroll and personnel module. Additionally, it will also streamline the entire production cycle, from the purchase of raw materials to dispatch.”The project required implementation in record time and within budget, two factors that were crucial to the awarding of the contract. Albela, chose us for our extensive experience and level of professional services, from implementation to after sales support,” says Haytham Kamel, general manager, Dubai and Northern Emirate, Emirates Computers. “We were also able to demonstrate our commitment to service the ERP installation on a long-term basis. Our team of engineers pooled their resources to develop customised inflight and outdoor catering module and to complete the project implementation before January 1, 2004, five months after we won the project”, adds Kamel.
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