The ERP solution, supplied by Digia, was tailored to support the business processes of the fertiliser industry and the company’s specific needs. Yara used Digia ERP system to streamline its order management, sales, stock, and production functions. In addition to Finland, the system is used in the Baltic states as well as in Poland and Hungary.

Customer benefits

• Transparency and efficiency of the delivery chain
• Innovative development and implementation of solutions
• User-friendliness
• Reduced possibility of errors arising
  
  

Solutions that meet customer needs

In 1998, a Web-based customer service solution was incorporated into the ERP system. This solution included a great deal of new technology and provided many functions that were advanced at the time. The objective of the solution was to provide more tools for customer service while freeing resources from the reception of orders for other work. Farming goods stores and Yara customers were able to use the browser-based user interface to place and track orders. This user interface has since been replaced with direct connections between the ERP system and the Farmit.net portal, a centralised service channel for agriculture and forestry.

Advanced solutions and new technology

The co-operation between Yara and Digia is an example of a long-term customer relationship that has developed into a mutually beneficial partnership over the years. The deep level of co-operation has enabled efficient deliveries and quick reaction to the changing needs of business operations.

The co-operation between Yara and Digia started in 1997, when Digia provided Yara with an ERP system. However, the roots of this partnership are in the 1980s – when Yara adopted EDI message transfer software. This software is used for managing order, invoice, freight note, shipping, and payment itemisation message traffic. The system is still in use, with message traffic being partially conveyed through the Digia service centre.

The ERP solution, supplied by Digia, was tailored to support the business processes of the fertiliser industry and the company’s specific needs, including great seasonal and price fluctuations, large production batches, and great diversity in the types of fertilisers and services provided.

Yara used the ERP system to streamline its order management, sales, stock, and production functions. In addition to Finland, the system is used in the Baltic states as well as in Poland and Hungary. In 2004, a comprehensive version update was performed for the system. This update enabled the adoption of new functions and a modern user interface.

Tangible benefits through development of customer relationships

Over the years, the people at Digia responsible for project deliveries have become familiar with Yara’s practices. This has enabled the development and implementation of innovative solutions – for instance, the aerial image and plant image services that Yara provides to its customers. Yara is happy with the benefits of this co-operation. ‘Our partnership with Digia has enabled us to respond quickly to the new needs of our customers,’ says Yara CIO Tuomo Orpana.

‘Digia has become familiar with the specific requirements of our business operations and is able to take the challenges of our business operations into account in the application production phase, when no unplanned interruptions are allowed in operations at any time of the day,’ Orpana continues.

A single team is responsible for Yara project deliveries at Digia. Over the years, this team has learned to understand the company's business operations, including their particular characteristics, on a profound level. Smooth and reliable communications between the customer and supplier have enabled efficient deliveries and quick reactions to the changing needs of the company. Digia plays an important role in Yara’s development projects; the goal is to respond to changes in business operations together.

‘Our long-standing co-operation with Digia enables the flexible launching and smooth implementation of projects. Digia knows its own products and development tools and can rapidly assess how new features can be implemented in our systems base in the most efficient manner,’ Orpana says.

Applied technology

• Digia Enterprise (Finland, the Baltic states, Poland, and Hungary)
• Web-CRM (Finland)
• Web-Kauppapaikka (Poland)
• Digia eEngine (Finland)
• Kemlog reporting and planning software