NZ expertise hooks up the world

By ADAM GIFFORD

Software company JD Edwards is turning to New Zealand for the consultants it needs to install its Advanced Planning Solutions supply chain software in business sites around the world.

APS Services manager John Chivers said the Denver company's experience in Asia and other developing parts of the world was that customers could not see the benefit of the software if they had to pay United States rates for the consultants needed to install it.

"The suggestion came from [services vice-president] Harry Debes that we create an international team in New Zealand to service what we call 'low dollar' countries," said Chivers, who was lured from Mi Services New Zealand 18 months ago to take up his role in Toronto.

"New Zealand has the high education levels, a low dollar and a good cultural fit."

Two people have been hired and Chivers is taking on two more.

He eventually aims to have a team of eight to 10 consultants able to take up short-term assignments around the globe.

"It's a reverse brain-drain. Rather than working in a bar in London to see the world, we are offering young people a chance to see the world in a job which uses their skills and qualifications, and allows them to get back here every two or three months.

"The guys I am employing are an international group, so they can find themselves in Europe, North America, South America, Asia. They are completely separate to the Australia and New Zealand group."

The APS modules are built around the Numetrix product JD Edwards bought from Canadian owners in 1999.

Numetrix was previously sold in Australasia by Mi Services and its predecessor, Motherwell Information Systems.

It is used for production and distribution schedules in several New Zealand companies, including parts of dairy giant Fonterra and Fletcher wood products businesses.

Chivers said New Zealanders seemed to have a particularly good grasp of supply chain problems because they had to deal with suppliers and customers a long way apart, which involved high transport costs and time delays.

He acknowledged that JD Edwards was slow to understand the value of what it picked up with the Numetrix acquisition, and had struggled to sell it outside the JD Edwards user base.

This had enabled competitors such as i2 and SAP to catch up.

"As it has expanded the modules JD Edwards has come to understand the potential," Chivers said.

"This is now a strategic part of the business."