Big contract to CBL Canty

Press, 14 June 1983, Page 30

Big contract to CBL Canty

A contract for three computers with up to 65 terminals has been awarded to CBL Canterbury by the Mico Wakefield group of companies. The first of three computers will be delivered in Christchurch within two months and will process all transactions throughout the South Island for the Wakefield Metal Co. The Metal Import Company, which is the North Island part of the group, will receive their machines during the next 12 months. Announcing the decision, Mr E. J. Matla, chairman of the Mico Wakefield board of directors, said: “We have used CBL’s time-sharing service for some time, and when we made the decision to put our 17 branches online, we gave all suppliers an opportunity to make submissions. CBL has received the order because of the excellent system it has proposed, the cost effectiveness

of their solution, and its ability to provide on-going support.

“The need for. reliable software and hardware and fast response are very important to Mico Wakefield because at some branches as much as 80 per cent of our customer orders are placed over the telephone. The system therefore needs to provide customers with up-to-the-minute information on stock availability.

“The Mico Wakefield group is New Zealand’s largest distributor of nonferrous metals, plastics, and fasteners. We intend to provide an improved service and to optimise our stocks, and this will be greatly assisted by the new system,” said Mr Matla. “In our previous relationship with CBL it has not been necessary for us to hire specialised data-pro-cessing staff. We get on with the business we know

best and leave CBL to provide the total support that we need. We are pleased with the way that has worked in the past, and we will continue to use their services.”

CBL Canterbury’s marketing manager, Mr B. G. Hodgson, said: “There are very few million-dollar computer systems we know of where the client has been able to see a live, running system, totally catering for their needs, with their own data being processed, before commitment to major capital expenditure has been required. CBL sees the Mico Wakefield purchase as a confirmation of the effectiveness of its timeshare service. When clients reach a certain level of process-

Ing, it can be cost effective for them to buy their own computer. “In this case the decision was to place identical computers at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, and by using a network designed by Datacomm Equipment, Ltd, we are providing a most effective solution for this client. This arrangement will also provide excellent growth potential and flexibility for the Mico Wakefield group,” said Mr Hodgson. The general manager of CBL Canterbury, Mr E. P. Venning, said many thought of CBL as providing on-line terminals at client locations, but had not associated the firm with selling inhouse machines. In fact the

CBL group had made major machine sales in the past to such companies as Hertz, the United Building Society, Wilson and Horton, and Alltrans. The Mico Wakefield sale was a continuation of those machine sales, but in this case the processing was distributed between three centres.

“CBL expect to be able to announce further machine sales in the next few weeks, and our other services are also providing us with many new opportunities,” said Mr Venning. “With a staff of 70 here in Christchurch and substantial resource throughout New Zealand (a total of more than 250 people) we can provide a level of support which other companies cannot match."