New Zealand natural healthcare company Manuka Health has chosen Microsoft Dynamics 365 to underpin a major digital transformation initiative across the business.
The healthcare company is replacing its legacy ERP system with Microsoft Dynamics 365, an integrated cloud-based solution that will give staff secure, anytime, anywhere access to information and real-time decision-making support.
Ben Boase, Manuka Health's chief financial officer is leading the digital transformation project. He says, “We are transforming in a number of ways – one is the way we manage and deliver our products in the digital space.
“We're in a developing industry and there are evolving regulations around honey and bee products and their distribution in the markets we serve. We see technology as a key enabler in delivering exceptional products and helping our customers lead healthier lives.
“Our vision for the business was critical to picking Microsoft Dynamics 365. It's out of the box functionality and easy user experience gave us the confidence that our technology would enable us to facilitate growth in the business.
To build the system, Manuka Health teamed up with Microsoft Dynamics Partner Sable37, an Australian cloud company.
Boase adds, “Cultural fit was really important to us. We felt that Sable37 had a similar culture to ours and our people matched very well, providing a solid foundation for a partnership. Sable37's team had the skills and experience to deliver a platform that would support our business from beekeeping right through manufacturing and distribution.
Manuka Health's Group financial controller Ciaran Quinn discusses the implementation of Dynamics 365. “Across locations, it's simple, intuitive and integrates our various systems, so employees are no longer working in silos with manual processes.
“We want to facilitate self-service capabilities across the organisation, so our employees are empowered to draw analysis and insights from our data.
Boase believes that technology will play an increasingly important role across the New Zealand agriculture sector, calling Microsoft Dynamics the ‘platform of the future'.
“As the system matures and the data provides a richer output, efficiencies, and opportunities for optimisation become stronger and dynamic.
Boase concludes, “Being in the cloud allows us to scale without having to worry about infrastructure. We're also excited about the developments in IoT and look forward to using the technology to manage beekeepers and drive efficiencies in the business.
Established in 2006 in Te Awamutu, Manuka Health's 140 employees operate over 17,000 beehives. With a turnover of $85 million, 70% of product is exported to 45 countries including core markets of Germany, Japan, Australia, China, Middle East, North America.