United Dairies

CONTACT: MR GEOFF DEVLIN, PROJECT MANAGER

"We projected an £80,000 cost saving in the first year of installing Advance Systems' TMS."

At a Glance

Sector: Food and Beverages

Employees: 1000

Product Installed: TMS (Time and Attendance software), Access Control

Client Objectives: Reduce costs and control staff across multiple sites and locations, increase security, support a growing business

They say: A fast and accurate system that has increased efficiency, cut costs and improved security.

£80,000 Cost Saving Projected

United Dairy Farmers Limited is the largest farmer-owned co-operative society in Northern Ireland. Dale Farm, one of its subsidiaries, opened a new £3 million milk evaporation facility at Dunmanbridge near Cookstown in June of 2003, coupled with a further £2 million investment in packing and processing at the site. This is part of an on-going programme of developments, aimed at fulfilling the group's value-added rapid growth strategy.

The Group selected Advance Systems to install a new time and attendance system (TMS) that could control its many sites as operating shifts varied from each location. Mr Geoff Devlin, Project Manager, explained, "We needed a time and attendance solution that could provide for a growing business and give us access control across our sites. Most of all we needed a cost saving system. We projected an £80,000 cost saving in the first year of installing Advance Systems' TMS."

Increased Site Security

Access control was installed at a number of sites to provide the enhanced security needed for the group's projected expansion. All tanker drivers were issued with ID swipe cards, and this provided enhanced site security as only the relevant personnel were in each area. Video monitors were also installed on boundary access areas; the combination of these measures cut costs, as security personnel were no longer needed.

Payroll Now Controlled In House

The three different companies within the Belfast area, under the umbrella of United Dairies, had each been using individual time and attendance systems, which according to Mr Devlin "was most inefficient". When the Group purchased a new premises in Belfast for all three companies,Advance Systems' TMS was introduced. Mr Devlin explained that "all payroll is now controlled in house, a process which had been outsourced prior to the installation of TMS."

Reduced Administration Costs

Since the implementation of TMS from Advance Systems, four administration staff are now no longer required as the volume of paperwork has significantly reduced. Managers now take control of each department, run their reports and export the reports to the administrator. The system is accurate , fast and any personnel problematic areas are quickly highlighted and addressed.

Relationship of Trust

The group has continued to roll out TMS and access control at its various sites and report that all areas are operating smoothly and staff have adapted to the changes with ease. Mr Devlin concluded: "The support and ongoing service from Advance Systems' staff has been wonderful, and the relationship with Advance Systems is one of on-going trust. The decision to install TMS from Advance Systems was made on the basis that it could provide for all our requirements. We also wanted an Irish Company that had the professionalism and know-how to implement a system that could cater for all the variations throughout the United Dairies network."