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Goodfellow Inc. enters the world of e-business with the help of Present

Goodfellow Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of wood products in North America, is well known for its vision and dynamic business approach. In 1999, the company called upon Present an IBM Premier Business Partner to help launch its e-business operations. This was the starting point of a highly profitable partnership that holds great promise for the future.

In 1969, George Goodfellow purchased a company to which he gave his name and a new lease on life. Personable and skilled in business, this visionary engineer surrounded himself with an energetic and devoted team to make Goodfellow Inc. "The Wood Specialists" in North America. The company is headquartered in Delson and offers a complete range of finished wood products for a wide variety of construction projects: docks and lock gates, wooden pipelines, bituminous decks for subways, treated wood, floor coverings, cabinet frames made from panels, recycled structural lumber, etc.

Goodfellow employs more than 600 people at 14 mills in Canada and three in the United States. The company has achieved sustained, major growth: sales grew more than 15% in 1999 to reach $387 million and are expected to grow a further 10% in 2000. This remarkable achievement reflects the courage and initiative demonstrated by employees in the face of uncertainty. Last year, a major fire ripped through the Delson facilities, and everyone had to innovate and go the extra mile in order to meet sales and delivery commitments. Six months later, the production level of kiln-dried lumber was back to normal and new facilities had replaced those destroyed by the fire.

"We quickly realized that Present would be a valued partner for Goodfellow Inc.," explains Rattray. "Present understood our needs from the outset and offered just the kind of solution we were looking for."

A new IT approach

Goodfellow takes on technological challenges with the same determination they demonstrated in restoring operations after the fire. The company has been a loyal IBM customer for over 20 years and has developed its own applications on the AS/400 platform. Graham Rattray, director of information technology and telecommunications, has been with Goodfellow for 14 years and knows all the ins and outs of their systems. About a year ago, Rattray and his team started looking at ways to improve response time, which was generally sluggish.

Graham Rattray proposed a new vision and role for technology at Goodfellow. He helped management to evaluate the potential of e-business as a means of extending their reach and supporting growth. "New technologies now allow us to approach IT as a profitable investment and not as an expense," notes Rattray. Indeed, e-business was an opportunity for Goodfellow to rationalize processes, improve service and increase their customer base and profits.

Present - an e-business specialist

Graham Rattray turned to IBM to transform his new vision into reality. That was when he discovered the IBM network of e-commerce business partners. IBM referred him to Present for the appropriate solution. "We quickly realized that Present would be a valued partner for Goodfellow Inc.," explains Rattray. "Present understood our needs form the outset and offered just the kind of solution we were looking for."

The solution was quite simple and allowed Goodfellow to enter the world of e-business. Firstly, the Delson head office was converted into an e-business site. Present provided Goodfellow with an AS/400 and Lotus Domino and Lotus Notes for 25 workstations. Present then trained a network technician from Rattray's team who in turn shared what he learned with his colleagues during implementation of the solution on the 200 head office workstations.

Not only do head office personnel have access to e-mail and the Internet, but sales reps who meet with customers outside the office are equipped with laptop computers that allow them to check inventory on-line and to place orders electronically. These orders are automatically forwarded to the billing application, and stock levels are automatically adjusted.

Immense potential

Overnight, the company's efficiency increased tenfold. Business processes were all greatly simplified, and the error rate fell to almost zero. With such a resounding success, the next step will consist in deploying the solution at the Goodfellow mills in Canada and the United States so as to improve the operations of the entire company.

With the support of Present, Goodfellow can now tap into the immense potential of e-business and e-commerce with consumers. There are lots of projects on the drawing board, and Graham Rattray and his six-member team are ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Rattray knows that he can count on Present experts' high level of skill, excellent service and the enthusiasm of a team that is truly dedicated to the success of Goodfellow. "IBM made a wise decision when they set up their network of partners," explains Mr. Rattray. "For a customer such as us, Present offers the personalized service we need, along with the credibility of IBM support."

George Goodfellow passed away in July 1999, but the company that bears his name honours his memory. His boldness, intelligence and courage lives on in both the real and virtual worlds.