Lawson signs two for QuickStep Distribution

Blue Wing Honda and Intek Security Group, Auckland-based import and distribution businesses both owned by Caspex Corporation, are implementing Lawson QuickStep Distribution, a pre-configured ERP package designed for distribution-based companies.

Te Wananga o Aotearoa, one of the country’s largest tertiary education providers with over 35,000 students, has signed up for Microsoft’s Live@edu suite which provides students with tools for emailing, instant messaging, online file sharing and blogging. Students at four polytechnics – Otago, Christchurch, Whitireia and Northland – already have access to the Live@edu, which includes Windows Live Hotmail, Microsoft Office Live Workspace and Windows Live SkyDrive online storage.

Payment transaction company Paymark has implemented a transactional data and reporting solution jointly deployed by Australian business intelligence provider Yellowfin and global enterprise software company Sybase.

Napier City Council has selected Cognos TM1 to provide it with a reporting, budgeting, planning and modelling solution. The solution is being implemented by business intelligence consultancy and Cognos implementation partner Cortell.

Human resources outsourcing provider Talent2 has secured a support deal with the Ministry of Education, which operates New Zealand’s largest payroll.

Enterprise solutions developer Jade Software has made further inroads into the Australian health sector with the go-live of its applications across the Northern Territories’ Health Service.

Fleet tracking solutions company Imarda has announced a $US10 million deal with a major US freight services company to provide an advanced Telematics based solution. Imarda did not name its customer, but reports said it was Fedex Freight.

Mitre 10 is the first local user of AnySite, a market analysis application from Pitney Bowes MapInfo, a global provider of location intelligence solutions.

Marketing Impact buys text provider

Marketing Impact, one of the country’s largest mail processing providers, has bought MessageMedia, a text messaging provider, and specialist in bespoke customer management processes. Marketing Impact managing director Alan Hard said the MessageMedia acquisition allowed his company to place best practice email and text messaging capabilities alongside nationwide mail, courier and on-line messaging infrastructure to create a “one-stop-communications processing-shop” for organisations wanting to integrate digital database messaging alongside their established mail messages.

SAP adds CRM to All-in-One

SAP New Zealand has announced the local availability of CRM functionality in the SAP Business All-in-One solution, a move it says addresses the needs of midsize companies to better manage every aspect of their customer relationships.

Business communications giant NEC has announced the New Zealand availability of its unified communications offerings for the SMB and enterprise markets, describing the launch as “marking a major assault on the UC market”.

Scan Conversion Services, an Australian-based provider of corporate scanning, document conversion and CAD conversion services, has opened its first international franchise – in Christchurch.

Intergen wins Microsoft’s top partner award

Intergen has been named Microsoft Partner of the Year, the top honour handed out at Microsoft’s annual Partner Awards. Other category winners at the awards included: Datasouth Business Solutions, Datacom, Axon Computer Systems, Fronde Systems Group, ActionThis, Complete Solutions, Adaptable Solutions, Auldhouse, Simpl Group, Provoke Solutions, Enlighten Design, Gen-i, Ingram Micro, and Kinetics Group.

Security vendor Symantec has named Auckland’s HealthAlliance as one of two winners of its 2008 Visionary Awards for Australia and New Zealand. Symantec said Phil Brimacombe, HealthAlliance’s CIO, was being recognised for implementing a series of IT projects that leverage Altiris software technologies and consulting services from Symantec to improve productivity by automating processes and gaining greater visibility of more than 6,400 IT desktops used by approximately 9,000 employees.

Survey shows spam is effective

Twenty-nine percent of internet users have purchased goods from spam emails, according to new research by Internet security company Marshal. The most commonly purchased items include sexual enhancement pills, software, adult material and luxury items such as watches, jewellery and clothing.  “The poll highlights an inconvenient truth,” said Marshal head technical consultant, Oscar Marquez. “Many of us often question ourselves, why is there so much spam? The answer is enough people are purchasing products from spam to make it a worthwhile and profitable endeavour for spammers.”

Ad guru Roberts joins Telecom board

Telecom has appointed kiwi advertising industry high-flyer Kevin Roberts to its board, replacing retiring director Patsy Reddy. Roberts is worldwide head of advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi. His former roles have included chief operating officer at brewing company Lion Nathan, based in Auckland.

Microsoft has made several appointments related to its Specialised Devices & Applications (SDA) group. Scott Jackson, takes on the role of SDA group marketing manager doe ANZ. Julia Nicholls becomes product marketing manager for mouse and keyboards across ANZ. Danica Aitken moves from a New Zealand role to Sydney where she will head up internet communications hardware and Office for Mac for ANZ. Danielle Gennaoui is charged with growing the SDA group and wider Entertainment & Devices Division business through independent retailers and the reseller channel via SDA’s distribution partners.

Former Cadmus Technology head Ian Bailey has been appointed managing director of integrated merchant services provider and electronic product distribution company SmartPay.

Sun Microsystems has promoted Gary O’Brien to the role of chief software technologist for New Zealand and Australia. Since joining Sun in 1999, O’Brien has held senior roles including ANZ regional software practice manager and Asia-Pacific business development manager for software solutions.                

IT services company Fujitsu New Zealand has appointed Linda Te Maipi as software licensing development & strategy manager, based in Wellington. She has held licensing roles within Unisys, Gen-i and Accordo.

Peter Focas has joined telecommunications consultancy Voco as an architect on the Government Shared Network project, while Myles Averns joins the company to work on the OnTrack voice replacement project.

Fuji Xerox Printers has appointed Garrick Unverricht as business development manager for channel sales and Dennis Prendergast as business development manager for major accounts. Unverricht was previously national channel manager at Kyocera. Prendergast has held roles at Symantec and Toshiba as channel business development manager.

Christchurch-based SLI Systems, a provider of on-demand search services for Internet and e-commerce sites, has appointed Mark Brixton as Australasian sales director. He was previously a sales manager for APN, managing the media company’s southern region team of field staff.