Cornelis Vrolijk stays on course thanks to Microsoft Dynamics 365

Cornelis Vrolijk is a family-owned company that specializes in the capture, breeding, processing, and trading of fish, fish products, and shrimp. With a fleet of various fishing vessels and approximately 2,000 employees spread across Europe and multiple global locations, the company had acquired multiple ERP systems and a diverse application landscape due to several acquisitions. To bring structure to their IT infrastructure, Brigitte Sissingh, the IT Manager, implemented a step-by-step approach to implementing an ERP system. Ultimately, they chose to go with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations in partnership with Cegeka. In addition to the implementation, Cegeka also provides ongoing support and assistance through their Managed Services for any queries or further development of the ERP system.

The catches of Cornelis Vrolijk are exported worldwide or processed in their own factories for consumers closer to home. Over time and multiple acquisitions, the family-owned company had acquired a complex application landscape and six ERP systems. This resulted in a lot of maintenance and continuous communication between different business units to maintain an overview. New requirements for traceability, sustainability reporting, and IT risk management made it necessary to have more control and oversight of the information provision. That's why the company embarked on a search for one ERP system that would become the control room.

Delivery certainty

After careful consideration, Cornelis Vrolijk decided to partner with Cegeka. "They have excellent and dedicated consultants who approached the project with a clear story and structure," says Brigitte. Their Proof of Concept was convincing, thanks to Cegeka Sure Value, which ensured delivery within budget and on time. They chose to implement the chain from the source, and now the fishing vessels and wholesale are already in Dynamics 365, all within budget and with minimal delay. The next step is to integrate the trading and manufacturing companies further down the chain towards the store shelves.

Meeting market demand becomes more convenient

Sustainable business practices are a top priority for Cornelis Vrolijk. By having centralized insight, the company is able to effectively fulfill this objective. With the use of one ERP system, it is now clear which department is purchasing which type of packaging. This process used to be done individually, but now it can be done in a smarter and more cost-effective way. Additionally, it is easier to meet the demands of supermarkets and other customers. "They want to have visibility into the carbon footprint of our products. Thanks to one system, calculating this data is much simpler." There are even more advantages. By aligning the data across the different companies, the company is now able to be more responsive because reports on raw material usage, customers, suppliers, traceability, and finances are readily available.

"An initial implementation is crucial, but effective management and continuous optimization are just as important."

- Brigitte Sissingh, IT Manager at Cornelis Vrolijk

Immediate response

Not only are the results of the new ERP system impressive, but the aftercare is also exceptional, according to Brigitte. "I've been in the IT industry for 30 years, and I've never experienced this level of managed services before. If you have a question, you get an immediate answer. The senior consultant we primarily work with has extensive knowledge on all topics and is proactive, providing not only solutions but also suggestions for improvement. He was our pillar of support during the first two weeks after the project, significantly reducing the turnaround time for issues." The Managed Services team keeps a close eye on the employees to make their work easier. "Not all colleagues are equally skilled at setting up their dashboard. Consultants come to sit beside them on-site or join via Teams to provide real service."

Active and efficient

Microsoft Dynamics 365 continually improves through updates. Companies are required to implement these changes at least twice a year. To prevent any issues, the system undergoes extensive testing beforehand. In the event that something goes wrong after the update, a Cegeka employee is always available. "If we encounter a problem, they resolve it immediately, minimizing any disruption. They also always come up with suggestions to prevent these kinds of problems. They are not only active in that aspect, but they are always well-prepared with an agenda for meetings, allowing us to work efficiently."

"I've been in the IT industry for three decades, and I've never encountered managed services of this caliber before!"

- Brigitte Sissingh, IT Manager at Cornelis Vrolijk

Streamlined communication and speedy delivery of tailored solutions.

Efficient work means utilizing standardized software as much as possible. This allows for a flexible and easily manageable IT landscape. However, custom solutions are sometimes necessary to support specific work processes. According to Brigitte, the collaboration for custom development is direct and seamless. "The consultant works in the same space as the developer, which shortens communication lines and eliminates the need for extensive explanations."

Automating without programming experience

There are numerous innovative possibilities with Dynamics 365. Brigitte is incredibly excited about the combination with the Power Platform, a selection of business solutions that allow for process automation without the need for programming experience. "Power BI is incredibly powerful in its ability to easily bring together and visualize information from Dynamics and other systems. In Power Automate, there are already several built-in apps that provide users with simple support in their daily tasks."

A wise decision

"We have been eagerly anticipating a single system with one truth for the entire group for years. We have achieved this to a large extent now. In the coming time, we will also add the remaining part, and I look forward to it with confidence," concludes Brigitte.

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