Systems Security and Integration

FOR A SECURE AND LONG-TERM I.T. RELATIONSHIP, INFOMACE INTERNATIONAL IS THE IDEAL BUSINESS PARTNER

Wholly New Zealand-owned Infomace International is recognised internationally as a leading developer and innovator of specialist Information Technology systems, but its roots are firmly here in New Zealand. Indeed, in 2003, in addition to expanding its overseas activity, Infomace is looking to do all it can to further enhance the profitability and efficiency of its existing clients, and perhaps other ambitious New Zealand companies.

Infomace's origins go back to the mid-1980s, and for some of its clients it has been providing its services and leading-edge solutions since those early days.

Director/General Manager Steve Millington says: “We have had three main objectives for our clients: to implement innovative systems which provide an 'edge' over their competitors, to ensure they can interface and integrate with other systems, both internally and externally, and to ensure they are 'secure' in the mission critical environment in which they operate.”

It has been an interesting and ever evolving 25 years or so: at first, the focus of Infomace activity was on developing, enhancing and supporting systems in a predominantly in-house environment followed by a need for more integration and connectivity with other systems and the outside world. These days however, as world wide ‘Information Technology’ has evolved, and while Infomace has continued its traditional work, there has needed to be a stronger emphasis on "System Security", be it on aspects of deliberate or accidental misuse, or on essential disaster recovery procedures for the whole host operational environment.

Once, a company’s computer system and equipment was provided strictly for work related duties and activities, and there was no way that outside non-business activity software could be downloaded electronically. Now there are numerous ways in which a system can be misused by employees, or be the victim of external "hacking". Such circumstances, apart from crashing the systems, delaying business processing, and corrupting business software processing, also increase the direct costs of dollars, lost man-hours, and overall business efficiency.

Steve believes this is another reason why Infomace International has further established such solid long-term relationships with its clients: “We understand ALL of their business needs and strategies, develop systems which serve as an integral part of them, possess technical expertise across the disparate I.T. platforms available today, and perhaps above all else, recognise that they must continue operation, with no loss of information, in any situation. Also, it is imperative that recovery plans are in place in the event of any failure due to a hardware malfunction, a software corruption or any other extraneous cause.”

And let there be no mistake, Infomace has some very important mission-critical client operations to maintain. To name but a few:

Working with major clients in the DAIRY AND TRANSPORT INDUSTRIES since 1987, Infomace provides a unique "Computational Intelligence" Vehicle Scheduling and Transport Management Reporting System for BONLAC FOODS, LINFOX and McCOLLS in Australia.

	MORGAN FURNITURE (New Zealand) is the largest manufacturer of recliner upholstery products in Australasia. This includes the LA-Z-BOY product range manufactured under licence from LA-Z-BOY USA. Morgan Furniture employs 210 staff, manufactures 'to order' for the NZ market, and ships 8 TEC containers per week to LA-Z-BOY Australia. LA-Z-BOY (Sydney) delivers to all areas of Australia and holds 2,500 chairs and 150 upholstered suites. For both sides of the Tasman, Infomace has developed a comprehensive suite of software including all aspects of Financial and Inventory Management, Personalised Order Entry, Automatic Order Statusing, the ability to create 'make to order and select from serialised stock’, and EDI Receipt of Orders. In Auckland, a Factory Production Scheduling system has been implemented to save both scheduling and manufacturing time, and provide full and vast planning ability. Web-based Production-Tracking, Real-Time performance monitoring and On-Line Web access for its customers and representatives provide Morgan Furniture with a truly unique operation. Infomace International has developed and maintained these systems over a period of seven years, and is acknowledged by Morgan Furniture to have made a significant contribution to their annual 50% expansion in Australia.
	AUCKLAND CO-OP TAXIS was formed in 1947, and, with more than 2000 Corporation Account Holders, "has developed into New Zealand's leading taxi company in terms of computer technology, market share and customer service." Infomace initially provided its base "Financial and Accounting Suite" in 1997, and has since tailored it as a specialised TAXI system. The system provides all the necessary processes involved in running the 700 vehicle fleet, and includes highly specialised reporting and accounting as well as interfacing with a specialist GPS system.
	PORT MARLBOROUGH NEW ZEALAND has used Infomace's financial management, marina and airport systems since 1988. Located in Picton, PMNZ operates the South Island Cook Strait Ferry Terminal, a cargo wharf, three marinas with a 1500-craft capacity, services to the Havelock aquaculture industry and a deepwater port in Shakespeare Bay.