Founded in 1989, Metenere (formerly known as Met Trade India), is one of the leading metal recycling companies with a strong international presence. In addition to India, it has operations in countries like France, Brazil, UAE, Bhutan, Ghana, Argentina, South Africa and Rwanda.
Metenere specializes in recycling of Aluminium, Lead, Tin and Bi-metal. It is one of the few industrial recyclers in India with clearance from Ministry of Environment & Forests for the import of used Lead Acid Batteries.
Vijay Bhat, CIO and head IT/SAP, recently shared the details of the company’s IT implementation strategies and challenges to Infotech Lead.
Our interaction follows:
What are the major technological challenges and technology adoption in your sector?Â
The major technology challenge which I have faced happened while migrating from a third party ERP solution to a standard solution like SAP wherein users are supposed to work in entirely different format and the process involved. Actually users are habitual of using some other screens for the input /output/reports and each segment has a different program running while we are in third party solution, but while moving to the standard solution the things change .That change itself is a project to get effective at the user level.
There have been a number of technology adoptions in my sector, like the drive to save paper, drive to automate the processes where the user intervention is reduced to a highest level. Thanks to Mobility solutions wherein users are no more dependent on PCs and laptops, the frequency of the work is also changed. Other than these, a lot of integrations have really reduced the operational cost and the time for completion.
Are you planning to utilize tablets or other devices to increase productivity among employees?Â
Yes, as already mentioned above we have integrated the mobility solution with our ERP system so that there is a single place where you have your laptop or desktop connected. We have mobile devices everywhere on production shop floors to monitor the operations.
How are you planning to increase interaction with online customers?Â
Product success is dependent on customer interaction. We are currently working on certain programs like “CRM” or there are some other tools available in the market which we are evaluating. Since we have some other projects going on this time, this has been put on hold for some time.
Who are your Wi-Fi providers and how do you rate their services?Â
We have different Wi-Fi providers like Cisco for indoor and Ruckus for the outdoor services. I rate Ruckus the best as I have observed their devices have good throughput and work under all atmospheric conditions.
What are your organizations’ devices (BYOD) and social media access policies? How it is impacting growth of the company?Â
BYOD is highly restricted among employees as it can be used for personal purpose as well. Access to those devices is also blocked due to the organization’s safety regulations. The social sites are open at the HOD level but are restricted at the lower levels. We have an open hour between 2:00 pm to 3:00 when users can access all sites without any restriction.
Do you expect forthcoming 4G services to play any role in enterprises? What will be your main usage?
The impact of 4G could be far reaching for business. Enhanced network bandwidth and throughput capabilities will not only ensure that the service is faster, but also more reliable. 4G has significant implications for the cloud. As more businesses seek to save costs by migrating to a software-as-a-service model, having faster access to applications and files while on the move is one of the most significant business benefits 4G will deliver.
4G, also known as fourth generation wireless communications or Long term Evolution (LTE), is a massive step forward for both operators and customers, promising faster download and access speeds, and more reliable mobile services.
What are the new technologies that you are planning to implement?
There are a number of new technologies we are looking for in future like Analytics, SCADA, etc.
What is your ICT budget? What is the growth in ICT budget? What are the new components?
Since we are going for the total change / revamp of the technology and new technologies are implemented, our current budget is 4 crore. It may reduce by 20 to 30 percent by next financial year.
Have you started utilizing cloud apps? Since you deal with customers’ sensitive data, are there concerns about security?Â
No, we are not using any cloud computing services. But yes our datacenter is available at other locations / overseas thru clouds.
What would you expect from the IT and communications industry?
- Pure-Play Consumer Internet & Mobile Services
- Out-of-home Media
- Business & Professional Services
Who are your main vendors and what are their contributions?Â
Our main vendors are IBM, HP who are looking after our all datacenter and application related things.
As a CIO/CTO, what are your main contributions to your company?
- Providing the technical vision to complement the business vision
- Setting the tone and direction for the company’s technologies
- Key role in the strategic technology planning as well as supporting activities of peers in various lines of business
- Strategic issues and the overall effectiveness of the IT organization
- Ensure the institution complies with board policies and the board’s strategic plan regarding acquisition or development of IT systems
Rajani Baburajan