Trelleborg Automotive drives towards RAM’s specialist capital project system

Finance team chooses Real Asset Management's fixed asset solution due to ease of use, superior functionality and its integrated project module.

Trelleborg Automotive, a world leader in the development and manufacture of components and systems for vehicles and industrial applications, has selected Real Asset Management's Asset4000 solution at its Coventry site, following a comparative review with the fixed asset management capabilities of its ERP solution.

The Coventry Plant, which is self-accounting, designs and manufactures sophisticated suspension solutions for major vehicle manufacturers. It is part of a global industrial group, headquartered in Sweden, with over 21,000 employees in 40 countries.

Until recently, the Coventry site had used a text-based system provided by RAM over ten years ago. The need to upgrade the system prompted the finance team at Trelleborg to review the module in its ERP system against RAM's Windows solution. Asset4000 (fixed asset accounting software) came out on top. “There were a number of reasons why we preferred to stay with a specialist supplier,” declared Karen Groves, management accountant at Trelleborg. “Firstly, I liked the ease with which I could move through screens. It is very user-friendly. Secondly, its flexibility matched the way we work, especially when it came to partial disposals and transfers. Finally, and quite an important point, was the availability of an integrated project control module.”

Trelleborg is using Project4000 (Project cost control software) to monitor commitment and expenditure against project budgets. “Capital expenditure requests are raised, allocated to a project, then entered directly into the system,” explained Karen. Associated orders and invoices are then recorded against that project. This could apply to the purchase of new plant or IT equipment, office upgrades or to site developments.”

Once projects are complete and assets are capitalised, work-in-progress values are automatically transferred into the asset register. Three registers have been set up within the one system to monitor assets for three different business divisions - the Coventry plant and two group offices. “The flexibility of Asset4000 helps us to manage assets to company requirements,” continued Karen. “When projects are capitalised, one asset can often be made up of many different items. Asset4000 allows us to optionally split these assets into several, as required.

“The ability to carry out partial disposals is another necessity for the finance team. For example, we may capitalise a number of items of furniture as one asset. Then, if some items are damaged or are disposed of before others, a partial disposal can be carried out. Whatever functionality or reporting facility we need, whether it is building relife or reports to check vehicles, it is available within the system.”

Real Asset Management has a substantial customer base within the automotive industry. Its clients include Dana Corporation, TRW Automotive, Metzeler Automotive and Wabco. “I am delighted that Trelleborg chose our Series4000 range to manage its assets,” declared Karen Conneely, RAM's Marketing Manager. “It is one of our many valued customers that have stayed with us for over a decade and confirms RAM’s dedication to providing first class customer care and support.”

“Fixed asset management is usually an area managed by only one or two people,” concluded Karen. “As this is the case, it is reassuring that RAM has such a good helpdesk service. I have total confidence that my queries will be resolved quickly, every time I call.”