Asamer Holding AG

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Asamer Holding AG – founded in 1959 in Ohlsdorf in Upper Austria – is an independent family business with branches and interests in 17 countries. The company’s head office is still located in Ohlsdorf. In addition to the Austrian market, this specialist in gravel, stone, cement and concrete, and in the recycling and processing of mineral raw materials, is active in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, Mediterranean coastal regions and Saudi Arabia.

From continuous improvements in product quality and on-time deliveries, to highly flexible product quantities, extensive technical expertise among its employees and a “family” management structure, Asamer is setting new standards in the building materials sector. Over the course of almost five decades, these have helped to set it apart from its competitors in the increasingly competitive building materials market.

One key factor is the company’s ongoing investment in researching and developing production technology in its in-house research centres and laboratories. Environmental protection is another top priority: Asamer uses natural resources. It does so responsibly, taking care to give excavation sites back to nature. The company encourages the return of the greatest possible variety of flora and fauna on completion of works, restoring precious habitats for animals and plants to their former state. Asamer also works in close cooperation with environmental protection organisations such as the WWF.

Challenges Faced
It is becoming increasingly important for companies to improve their performance continuously. Reliable and cost-effective checks and financial management are therefore more crucial than ever before. As an international company, Asamer must also comply with the latest legal provisions applicable to transparency and corporate governance. In addition, the company must meet rapidly changing reporting requirements according to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The company therefore needed a reliable and proven consolidation and financial reporting process to ensure compliance with all its legal obligations.

Strategy Followed
Asamer initially outsourced group consolidation work, and later introduced a Microsoft® Excel®-based process to handle internal consolidation. After evaluating the Frango and Hyperion consolidation solutions in 2004, the company implemented Frango Consolidator. Frango was then taken over by Cognos, and the consolidation solution was seamlessly integrated into the Cognos portfolio. In 2007, Asamer re-evaluated its consolidation tool, and Cognos and Hyperion put forward their latest solutions. A project was launched involving Gabriele Lehner, group consolidation manager, a consolidation employee and Asamer’s accounts manager.

When Cognos was taken over by IBM in February 2009, the Cognos solutions were incorporated into the IBM Software Group’s information management group. On the basis of its previous experience with Frango, and seeing the now even more user-friendly IBM Cognos solution, Asamer opted for IBM Cognos 8 Controller as the ideal consolidation tool. The solution went live in December 2007.

After initial professional training, user acceptance and satisfaction with the IBM Cognos solution have been very positive. etageeins GmbH, a certified IBM Cognos partner with a presence in Austria (Vienna), Germany (Stuttgart) and Switzerland (Zug), once again proved a reliable implementation and training partner in this successful consolidation project.

Benefits realized
One of Asamer’s aims for the short to medium term was to be able to export data from the IBM Cognos solution to Microsoft Excel with a display of the group profit and loss statement. This allows the generation, practically at the touch of a button, of a form corresponding precisely to the consolidated balance sheet.

Group consolidation for Asamer currently takes place annually, on 31 December. To comply with various obligations, the subgroups will produce an actual data consolidation in the future, including an automated cash flow statement according to IFRS. Finally, Asamer plans to use the IBM Cognos solution for financial planning (forecast and budget) at consolidation level. On the basis of an authorisation structure, commercial managers from the three subgroups will enter consolidation data in the countries each quarter.

At a later stage, the company plans to import consolidation data from the Microsoft® Navision ERP system directly into IBM Cognos 8 Controller.

About IBM Cognos BI and Performance Management
IBM Cognos business intelligence (BI) and performance management solutions deliver world-leading enterprise planning, consolidation and BI software, support and services to help companies plan, understand and manage financial and operational performance. IBM Cognos solutions bring together technology, analytical applications, best practices, and a broad network of partners to give customers an open, adaptive and complete performance solution. Over 23,000 customers in more than 135 countries around the world choose IBM Cognos solutions.