Sun powers NI's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler

Northern Ireland's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, Sangers (NI), has recently upgraded its technology infrastructure with the addition of an Enterprise 3500 server from Sun Microsystems.

Sangers, which have been supplying pharmaceutical and healthcare products to retail and hospital pharmacies in Northern Ireland for over 100 years, automated its systems in the mid-1990's to remain competitive in the retail distribution market.

The company initially implemented an automated order processing and stock control system based on Sun Microsystems Ultra 2 workstations and on AWARDS, the Advanced Wholesale and Real Time Distribution System, developed by Irish software house, Brentech Data Systems. The latest upgrade will support Sangers' online order processing and stock control system which handles over two million transaction lines per month.

Allan Ward, IT Manager at Sangers, said: "The Sun Ultra 2 workstations served us well over the years but we needed more 'muscle' in our IT infrastructure.

"Robust, reliable and flexible IT systems are mission-critical for our wholesale distribution business. Our Sun/AWARDS solution gives us that competitive edge and helps us maintain a very high standard of customer service."

AWARDS handles everything from sales order entry to pricing, invoicing, stock control, purchase ordering and scheduling.

The system enables pharmacists around Northern Ireland to input their order details directly by using their own systems to send the information to the Sun Enterprise 3500 server located at Sangers' main depot in Belfast.

Sangers fulfils the orders from its three Northern Ireland depots and delivers to pharmacies at least twice a day.

(CL)