PRESS RELEASE: Changes to Cedar Creek Company Software

Changes to Cedar Creek Company Software Services

Dated: Friday 25th June 2010

 

      

The recent departures of staff from within the Cedar Creek Company's Software Development team and executive team has presented the company with the opportunity to review the operation of the Software Department and look at the changes necessary to make it a more responsive operation, delivering effective service to all our customers.

New Cedar Creek Company CEO, Sean Clitheroe, said of this:

"The company knows that on occasion our Software Department has not been able to delivery the level of service and support that is expected, either by us or you, our customers.

Over the course of the next few months the company will be undertaking several steps to address our service which should be positive for all our customers."

Software Development Manager

With the recent resignation of Joel Ireland as Software Development Manager, the company is actively looking at recruiting a replacement for this position. We are hoping to have this role filled shortly with the successful applicant starting around the 1^st August 2010.

Software Support

For the last 12 months, our software development team and support team have been managed separately. While this was undertaken with the best of intentions, the unfortunate result has been that this has not worked very well and has placed an unnecessary barrier to our ability to provide effective support.

With the review of our business process, this has clearly been identified as the fundamental step that must be taken to improve the communication channels and streamline our support process.

Over the next month we will be merging these two teams together.

This will allow us to effectively manage the Software Department and set realistic priorities that are achievable and fair to all our customers and set plans that can be communicated to our customers.

 

Mary Canniffe who previously managed the Support Team, is taking a new and important role within the Finance Department of the company.

SASTEK FoodChain

There has been some confusion within the marketplace in regards to our continued support of the SASTEK Food Chain system.

It is important we clarify any confusion.

SASTEK FoodChain Version 3 is "end-of-life". While we will continue to provide basic phone support services to our TCS customers, there will be no further service patches released. All development and program corrections have stopped. Customers need to consider a minimum of an upgrade to SASTEK FoodChain Version 4 to ensure latest software fixes can be installed.

SASTEK FoodChain Version 4 is still being supported. All reported faults (software bugs) will continue to be corrected and future service patches will be released. Minor customisation work will be undertaken in this version.

Call our help desk to determine the version you are on if you are unsure.

Future Direction of FoodChain

Cedar Creek will continue to brand all future releases of its food industry ERP software suite "FoodChain".

The FoodChain suite of software modules currently includes the Cedar Creek Software system (also known as FoodChain by CCC) and the SASTEK FoodChain system.

The direction of FoodChain is to merge both products benefits into a single version of FoodChain, being CCC FoodChain Version 5.

CCC FoodChain 5 will be developed on the current Cedar Creek Software platform incorporating all the functionality available in the system but also including all the features and benefits from the current SASTEK FoodChain system.

We will start planning for CCC FoodChain 5 over the coming months and hopefully by late-2010 we will be able to release overview details of the features and functionality that will be available,   with an expectation to have the final release completed no later than early 2012. (Regular iterative releases will be available prior to this date)

However customers can continue to gain immediate benefits by upgrading to the current FoodChain by CCC to take advantage of modules such as:

• Production Scheduling;
• Stock Allocations;
• Export Documentation;
• An expanded Livestock Payments System;

For all Customers who have Software TCS, under your software maintenance entitlements you are able to take the latest software releases for all software module licences purchased, these include:

• SASTEK FoodChain Version 3 to SASTEK FoodChain Version 4 (Now);
• SASTEK FoodChain Version 3 or 4 to FoodChain by CCC (Now);
• SASTEK FoodChain Version 3 or 4 or FoodChain by CCC to CCC FoodChain Version 5 (When released);
• Software Patches for SASTEK FoodChain Version 4 or FoodChain by CCC;

Future Direction of On-Floor Software Systems

The On-Floor Software system primarily comprise of:

• Kill Floor System: CCC Kill Floor or SASTEK Interm Version 12;
• Carton Weigh System: CCC CWS or SASTEK Printerm Version 6;
• BRI (Production Input) System: CCC BRI or SASTEK BRI

As with our FoodChain suite, we are also looking at the future direction of our on-floor software systems and plan to merge both versions products benefits into a single version:

•  CCC Interm Version 13;
• CCC Printerm Version 7;
• CCC BRI Version 3;

These products will be developed on the current Cedar Creek Software platform incorporating all the functionality available in the system but also including all the features and benefits from the current SASTEK FoodChain system.

The fundamental characteristic that will be incorporated into all these versions of on-floor software is:

• The ability to have two-way communication to the main FoodChain database removing the need for individual supervisors and providing tight integration to the main FoodChain system;
• The ability to continue to run independently in the event of communication failure on your plant network;

We have already started the development of scope of work and hopefully by late-2010 we will be able to release overview details of the features and functionality that will be available,   with a plan to complete the full release in mid to late 2011.

Continued Commitment

Cedar Creek Company CEO Sean Clitheroe said:

"We will be seeking greater consultation with our users in assisting in requirements that should be considered in the products. This could be through direct consultation, webinars or user group forums.

The long-term future plans (3 - 5 years) for all our software systems are:

• To allow the system to be run on alternate databases allowing our customers to choose alternate database like Microsoft SQL Server;
• To allow greater flexibility in the useability of the system with deployment through web-pages or mobile work-force.

We have always taken pride in both our FoodChain suite of products and our On-Floor suite of products. They have been written exclusively to meet the demands of the perishable foods and we believe they are the best products to manage your business.

Myself and the Cedar Creek Software are committed to working with you to ensure our software is the best available and delivers the functionality that is required to run your business."