A huge ‘thank you’ goes to our fantastic clients. In 2010 you gave us a chance to prove ourselves, and in 2011 you’ve allowed us to consolidate our position as a leading supplier of IFS and Lawson consultants across Europe.

You’ve also given us opportunities to establish ourselves in other areas of expertise, such as OpenText (formerly StreamServe), IBM Cognos, Infor and Oracle Hyperion. We’ve had well over 150 new client engagements this year, many lasting several months. That’s on top of the many 2010 engagements which were extended.

Our consultants also deserve an enormous ‘thank you’. They’ve travelled all across Europe and North America, some of them working 12 hour shifts in remote locations to ensure clients’ ERP systems keep delivering business benefits.

We’d also like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to Lawson. In 2010 they appointed us as a Service Partner and now we’ve become a Channel Partner. This means that, in addition to supplying ERP consulting services, we’ll also be selling Lawson and Infor software products.

Thanks are also due to our staff team, who work so hard to maintain the quality and consistency of service that our clients and consultants value. This year has seen the team double, from four to eight, including the hire of our first full-time consultant.

In addition, we’re very grateful to the East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce & Enterprise. They awarded us their New Business of the Year award back in March, and are enthusiastic supporters of what we’re doing.

If all that wasn’t enough to keep us busy, 2011 has also seen us relocate to larger premises, attend 6 conferences in the UK and overseas and lay lots of plans for next year.

We wish you all a great Christmas holiday and a successful and prosperous New Year.

The client knew they needed help with configuration and training in a number of areas in IFS. In particular, support was required in setting up and using project management and contract management functionality.

With sites across the UK, nearly 900 staff and a very wide range of industrial service contracts, accurate and timely contract management was mission critical for the firm. That’s why they came to Anthesis for help, because they wanted support from an IFS expert.

The consultant supplied by Anthesis literally knew IFS inside out, having been part of the team that wrote the software. Her deep understanding of how the product works is helping the client to maximise the benefit from their ERP investment.

Tom Constantine, head of the Anthesis IFS practice, said: “Initially the client struggled to find someone of the right calibre for the right price. By coming to Anthesis, they’ve achieved the best of both worlds – we have supplied an experienced IFS consultant in a way that’s extremely cost-effective for them.”

Over the last three years, Anthesis has built a strong network of ERP professionals across Europe. They have access to some of the top European consultants in a variety of systems including Lawson M3, IFS and OpenText (formerly StreamServe).

As they initiated a switch from a legacy Movex system to SAP, a major optical manufacturing business called on Anthesis to provide an OpenText (formerly StreamServe) reporting expert.

The StreamServe document automation system had been operating with Movex for some time and the client wanted the functionality replicated in the new SAP system. The switch needed to be seamless, to ensure an uninterrupted flow of high quality documentation both internally and externally.

The client came to Anthesis because of the consulting firm’s depth and breadth of experience in the OpenText/StreamServe products. Anthesis has provided some of the leading consultants in the document production system to clients across Europe, establishing themselves as a leader in ERP document technology.

Anthesis supplied a highly experienced German OpenText consultant who conducted the first phase of the migration project, a scoping exercise. This enabled the client to understand the issues involved in switching systems and to map out a project plan.

The Anthesis expert has been retained by the client to assist with the migration when it occurs in the near future.

This was an extremely time sensitive project, being part of the preparation for the London Olympics. The client was seeking an Essbase expert for a scoping exercise, in anticipation of a larger project.

They came to Anthesis because they knew the firm had an extremely strong network of BI consultants, in both the UK and mainland Europe. Very soon, they had someone with the appropriate skills in Essbase, on site, working with their team to scope hardware and other resourcing requirements.

Oracle Essbase, previously Hyperion Essbase, is a multidimensional database platform, an online analytical processing (OLAP) solution. It is widely used in conjunction with ERP systems to power enterprise performance management applications.

By locating an experienced Essbase expert with availability to match the client’s location and time, Anthesis has once again demonstrated the depth and strength of its consulting network.

The company had been using Lawson M3 for several years and commercial success required that they make fuller use of its finance functionality. It wanted help to get more benefit from areas such as Intrastat and Multi-Unit Cordination. The firm was also keen to take advantage of new features, to improve the quality of information supplied to key decision-makers.

Anthesis was selected as a provider of Lawson skills because of their proven track record and their status as a Lawson Service Partner. No investment is undertaken lightly and it was important for the client to have a high level of trust in Anthesis and the Lawson ERP consultant they selected as the provider of expert knowledge.

Charles Noden, Director of the Lawson practice at Anthesis, said: “This assignment is yet another example of where our commitment to quality, consistency and value for money is delivering results. By continuing to place client satisfaction at the heart of everything we do, we’ve won the trust of yet another global brand.”

Mike brings twenty years of hands-on project and programme management experience. He’s led a number of successful MRP and ERP implementation projects for a variety of organisations including Newell Rubbermaid, BrightHouse, Sodexo, Dresser Wayne and 3663.

He was also one of the leading Movex/M3 consultants in Intentia/Lawson for five years, where he planned and executed multimillion pound system implementation projects spanning multiple countries.

“We’re thrilled that Mike’s recognised the potential of Anthesis and agreed to join us,” said Charles Noden, Director, and one of the joint founders of the firm. “He brings a depth of knowledge and experience that is key to our next phase of growth.”

“Working in a small, ambitious company will be a breath of fresh air and an exciting new challenge,” said Mike, who comes from a role as Programme Manager at Microsoft Reseller, Tectura. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a bold new venture at an early stage.”

Having completed his studies at Leeds Trinity University College, Ben spent several months performing research for an executive headhunting firm. This was ideal preparation for his position at Anthesis, where he’ll be sourcing ERP experts in a number of systems, including Lawson, IFS and Infor.

A keen sportsman, Ben understands how success depends on teamwork. While being a recent graduate, he’s no stranger to the world of work, having fitted in a number of jobs around his studies, many of which demanded a high level of self reliance and initiative.

“I enjoy the sales angle of my new position in Anthesis,” said Ben. “Based on my track record in recruitment, I am confident that I can deliver a great service and help develop the Anthesis brand.”

Tom Constantine, Anthesis Director, said: “Ben complements our existing team, bringing enthusiasm and the capability to engage additional markets. He’s focused and extremely tenacious; the ability to follow up is very important in our business. He’s also got a relaxed approach and a great telephone manner, both of which are essential to building a strong rapport with our customers and consultants.”

Such is the complexity of their business that, when combined with a huge amount of commercial activity, they needed additional support to ensure their Lawson ESM&R system go-live proceeded as smoothly as possible.

Anthesis successfully sourced six Lawson M3 consultants that the client required, all with strong functional knowledge of Supply Chain and Inventory, and availability to spend several weeks in North America at short notice. Some have travelled to remote regions where they are delivering to demanding schedules to ensure the business systems operate successfully.

By drawing together a team of Lawson experts drawn from across the globe, Anthesis has again shown it has the capability to source hard-to-find ERP specialists with the right combination of skills and experience.

Not only did the consultant they hired need to have an excellent understanding of French and IFS Financials, they were also required to be extremely flexible. The process of turning on a major ERP system brings particular pressures, as a diverse range of users adapt to new ways of working with new business software applications. As soon as Anthesis became aware of the requirement, it identified the ideal candidate, a French IFS Financials consultant with the skills which the client was looking for.

This appointment is another example of the strength and depth of the Anthesis ERP consultant network across Europe. Built through years of experience, the network of ERP experts is allowing Anthesis to become a leading provider of software consultancy in the UK and continental Europe.

This is a major achievement in its own right and is made even more significant by the landmark events which have occurred over the last twelve months.

Recognition of the quality offered by Anthesis led to its appointment as a Lawson Service Partner in late 2010, only fifteen months after its launch.

The company, which supplies ERP specialists to organisations using systems such as Lawson M3 and IFS, was given the New Business Award by East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce in March this year. Two months later, it moved to larger premises within the same office complex in Congleton, in anticipation of growth.

In the last few weeks, Anthesis has begun advertising for additional staff, another sign of success, and all part of a long-term strategy for growth.

Anthesis Director, Charles Noden, said: “For the second year in a row we’ve achieved our targets. That’s down to our hard work and the confidence that our clients continue to put in us. We’d like to say a big thank you to those who’ve supported us in this endeavour.”

Charles and fellow Director Tom Constantine are the driving force behind Anthesis. The success of the company is down to their years of knowledge and experience, combined with a commitment to delivering excellent value to their clients.

Anthesis is now a leading supplier of ERP specialists across Europe and has exciting plans for the months ahead.