LAHORE – Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has signed two MoUs towards the implementation of AutoPlus, an ERP software, in over 300 member units of PAAPAM and to also make the open source ERP available in Microsoft technologies.

The first MoU was signed with Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) and SME Business Support Fund (BSF) while another was inked with Microsoft Corporation and Acrologix (Pvt) Limited. The signing ceremony was held at the inauguration of the Industrial Automation of PAAPAM Units, ERP software for automotive parts and accessories verticals, here.

Federal Minister of Information Technology Dr. Abdullah Riar, Managing Director PSEB Yusuf Hussain, Chairman PAAPAM Aslam Malik, Country Manager Microsoft (Pakistan) Kamal Ahmed, COO of SME Business Support Fund (BSF) Ali Sarfraz and CEO of Acrologix (Pvt) Limited Sheikh Muhammad Akmal were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister of IT Dr. Abdullah Riar, said that the government has invested Rs. 70 million in automating the local industry and in the first phase 63 small units have been automated across different industrial sectors using licensed ERP software.

He said that in the current phase, close to 45 SME units in 4 industrial sectors and 10 farms from the agriculture sector are being automated using open source as well as Microsoft technologies”.

Under PSEB’s Industry Automation project, SME units in five industrial sectors and the agriculture sector are being automated by providing them custom-built ERP software, the IT Minister further disclosed.

The sectors being automated are Readymade Garments, Hosiery, Textile Processing, Automotive Parts and Accessories, Surgical Instruments and agriculture. Under the project the ERP software will be implemented in more than 70 industrial units/farms in the above mentioned sectors.

Speaking on this occasion, PSEB Managing Director Yusuf Hussain said that Kortech Auto Industries has already started to see tangible benefits for their business by using the software.

He said that initial results at Kortech Auto Industries showed the improvements -- 60% reduction in time in customer response, 65% reduction in time and HR in the purchase cycle, 60% reduction in time and HR in accounts and 75% reduction in time and HR in the production process.

He further said that Auto Plus is the second open source ERP launched under the PSEB’s Industrial Automation Project and this ERP software is now also available on Microsoft technologies to more than 300 SME units of PAAPAM along with the source code.

The Chairman PAAPAM, Aslam Malik said that this is a very important and effective programme and would enable us to compete much better in the increasingly competitive global market. The initial results reported by the model unit and now, Microsoft’s participation in the program are both very encouraging.

Country Manager for Microsoft, Kamal Ahmed, said that Microsoft has always taken it as a mission to harness the gap between technology and the industries that are critically contributing to the economic growth of the countries.
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