Arab Supplies and Trading Company (ASTRA Group), using the services of Aregon - a leading regional management consulting firm, has successfully launched its new centralized purchasing and procurement system for all their indirect materials, supplies and services for the group's 35 business units, companies, and subsidiaries.
"ASTRA group have already achieved savings ranging from 10% - 24% for different commodities with an average savings rate of 13.5%. But we are not merely talking money here, By implementing the best practices in strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management and enabling the requisition and purchase order processes with the appropriate e-procurement technology, we have achieved a great leap forward towards efficiency and responsiveness." Ghassan Akeel, ASTRA Group Deputy Managing Director commented.
The newly established Central Procurement and purchasing service unit will be based in Riyadh with the following strategic goals - manage strategic sourcing contracts, suppliers' relationship management, order fulfilment, and electronic catalogue management.
ASTRA Group deployed Aregon's Supply Chain Management offerings, commented Saif Khoury, Aregon Director, to provide ASTRA Group with Value Procurement Best Practices, including management solutions for strategic sourcing, contracts management and supplier relations, and the deployment of an electronic Procurement Application to enable the streamlining of the processes across all companies and business units.
"ASTRA group of companies have many diversified and remarkable fields of operations from agriculture and healthcare, to trading and manufacturing. We, at Aregon, are proud to have worked with the creative team at ASTRA group, to give their management greater visibility of group purchases, at the same time drive savings and efficiencies," said Mr. Hazem Malhas, President of Aregon. He further added that, "ASTRA employees can now send requisition orders and purchase orders electronically for goods and services such as office supplies, pre-printed stationary and IT consumables."
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About ASTRA
Arab Supply and Trading Company (ASTRA Group) is a Saudi group of companies with a history that goes back to the late sixties, when first founded by Mr. Sabih Taher Masri. ASTRA has grown steadily into a diversified Group with operations in fields ranging from agriculture to trading, manufacturing, contracting & services, medical & healthcare, telecommunication and real estate, with subsidiaries and affiliates in other Middle East and Gulf countries.
During this brief period, ASTRA has succeeded in achieving a prominent position among the largest companies operating in Saudi Arabia, building an excellent reputation based on its mission plan, objectives and strategic direction. The Group is currently ranked 26 among the top 100 Saudi companies and is the second largest privately owned Group in the Kingdom. The Group employs more than 5,000 employees.
AREGON
Aregon, a leading business management consultancy, is dedicated to assisting organizations in the region improve their performance and capabilities by implementing best practice management solutions tailored to client needs and requirements. Aregon expertise in the market provides the appropriate strategies for facilitating the implementation of optimized solutions in order to achieve competitive advantage for clients in whatever field or sector they operate in. The Company's portfolio consists of regional clients with a history of successful implementations. Aregon's main markets of operation are in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and UAE. Aregon's Head Quarters is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with an office in Amman, Jordan.
© Press Release 2005
