Cements Modern Face

With a centralized IT strategy in place, Ambuja Cement went live with SAP

implementation in 2008. Till then the company was operating through eight

different legacy systems running on various platforms and OS. All these

including, FICO, MM, PM, PP, SD and PS were brought under one platform through

the new implementation and were integrated on a single server.

The Revamped Look



The migration from legacy to the new technology platform was completed with

a big bang approach, and with one stroke the entire system went live and was

synchronized with inclusive data migration. In order to support the new IT

establishment, Ambuja revamped its network infrastructure as well. Boosted with

a comprehensive and redundant MPLS connectivity, more than 200 locations were

connected to the central server using WAN network.

This transformation required a well thought out plan and process orientation

that could prevent Ambuja from experiencing any major trouble during the

migration. "We took every measure to ensure that the transformation remains

error free and produces a seamless infrastructure based on cutting-edge

technology," says Bihag Lalaji, VP, special projects, Ambuja Cements. "This has

enabled a befitting IT system for us yielding wholesome business benefits that

were the core objective before we planned the new implementation," he adds.

The technical migration was rounded-off with a training program for the

internal users. Over 2,500 users were trained to make them compatible with the

new IT model. "A lot of emphasis was given on training users to make the

transformation effective from day one, not just on the technical front but

usability as well. A four month training program was conducted for the same, and

I must admit that the entire organization was extremely supportive," says Lalaji.

Better Business Gains



The transformed IT infrastructure on SAP platform benefited the company in

various ways. Apart from providing uniformity of the processes, it gave a single

look and feel to all the systems and business processes across the organization.

Anytime and anywhere access was made possible through this centralized approach

and live application. Even the plants and warehouses have been connected along

with all other offices and branches. The new system has been planned and aligned

with Ambujas business structure and with its principals located abroad as well

as its entire group companies from India and overseas.

The centrally managed infrastructure also enabled better manageability and

control over the systems providing superior connectivity and uptime. "We gained

better transparency and efficiency through this new system that is helping us

grow our business in a new direction," says Lalaji. The new IT model also

allowed the company to implement SMS application for communicating with

customers as well as the marketing team. By doing so, lead generation and data

updates became much faster.

A backup server for the new system has been set up in Delhi. To make it more

robust, business continuity planning (BCP) has also been implemented and

well-documented. Currently, Ambuja is working on BI implementation.

Piyali Guha



piyalig@cybermedia.co.in