Vemedia chooses IBS Pharma software based on ROINews & Events 2003-08-28 Vemedia B.V., distributor of self-medication products and health products, former subsidiary company of Solvay Pharmaceuticals B.V., has chosen ASW, IBS’ supply chain software solution for distribution, finance, invoice control, sales and marketing, combined with the special IBS Pharma solution. According to Nico Alberts, CEO of Vemedia B.V., it was ASW’s favourable Return on Investment (ROI) which ended up being the decisive factor. Vemedia, famous for brands such as Valdispert, Rhinocaps and Lacpure, delivers to approximately 1600 pharmacies and 4000 chemists in the Netherlands. Besides selling their own brands, Vemedia is also a distribution partner for Bayer and Norit’s self-medication products, as well as the insect repellents Roxasect and Autan. Alberts explains Vemedia’s search for a new IT solution as follows: “Even though we gained independence on 1 August 2002, we are still using a number of services from our former parent company, Solvay Pharmaceuticals B.V., such as logistics and the management of the accounts receivable and payable. On 1 January 2004 this agreement expires and Vemedia must then be able to operate completely independently.”
According to Alberts, one of the reasons for choosing IBS is their extensive worldwide experience within the pharmaceutical’s field. “The IBS Pharma solution contains a specific functionality, which supports the typical pharmaceutical processes within our organisation in the correct way. Vemedia is a flat organisation that is able to react with speed and flexibility. Therefore the software we use must be just as flexible. Our future objective is to be a supplier for the complete Benelux region and to also export brands. That is why we are actively looking at expansion possibilities in the Belgium direction. Such a new organisation must be able to incorporate the new supply chain solution quickly. This can be realised quite easily through the strong integration possibilities, as well as through ASW’s multi-company functionality.
“We have also, very consciously, chosen IBM’s eServer iSeries as hardware platform. The iSeries is commended for its stability - a very important factor for us as an organisation”, according to Alberts. In the end it came down to two suppliers, whereby ASW’s Return on Investment was the decisive factor. “We looked at the long-term costs and they ended up lower with IBS than with their competition. “
Marc van der Loo, Director of the Business Unit Logistic Solutions of IBS Nederland B.V. , comments that more and more new clients in the current market conditions are looking at ROI when purchasing new software. “This is a good thing. The research and consultancy organisation META GroupTM recently conducted a research, called METAspectrumSM 34.0, on the midmarket Enterprise Resource Planning in Europe, and IBS was rated as the only one with ‘Very good/Excellent’ as regards pricing. They beat such competition as Oracle, SAP, Baan, IFS, Microsoft-Navision and JD Edwards. IBS scored highly, especially with regard to the implementation costs (the sum of hardware, software and services costs) in relation to the investments for the software licences. This was one of the most important reasons for Vemedia choosing IBS.”
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