APPC and Naizak Sign for ERP

Naizak Global Engineering Systems in conjunction with Bristlecone, a member of the Mahindra Group, has been awarded a contract by Jubail’s Advanced Poly Propylene Co. (APPC) for the installation of SAP ERP throughout the company. APPC is a joint venture to set up as an integrated complex for producing propylene and poly propylene with a production capacity of 450,000 tons a year at a total cost of SR3 billion. The facility is expected to be completed in December 2007, with production commencing in the first quarter of 2008.

The new ERP project for APPC started in the first week of September and will go live in March 2008. The contract was signed by Ali Abdul Razak Al-Shuair, CEO of APPC, and Abdul Aziz Muhammad Al-Fayadh, VP of Naizak.

Shuair said that APPC was seeking to obtain the best technologies in all areas, with special interest in information technologies. Khaled Abdul Rahman Al-Abdul Karim, president of Naizak, pointed out that APPC’s desire to use best practices is the standard in the Kingdom, especially in industrial settings where organizations are aiming for optimal economic return.

ADAOX Supports KSA Channel

In a move to support local resellers in the Kingdom, ADAOX Middle East, through its local partner Zedan Solutions, has made available a special renewal pack for ESET’s NOD32 Antivirus System.

“Many people purchase their first antivirus product from a local shop, but then they make renewals of that product directly through the antivirus vendor’s international website. This means that the local reseller channel never sees any further return from a consumer’s loyalty to that product. How can we expect Saudi resellers to support us if we don’t support them?” asked Neo Neophytou, MD, ADAOX Middle East. “This renewal pack, available through Saudi resellers, will help them to maintain the relationship with their customers. It’s also ideal for those individuals who don’t want to use their credit cards online, but who understand the importance of up to date antivirus protection.”

Optimiza Rolls Out Regional Portfolio

Optimiza (www.optimizasolutions.com), a new pan-Arab technology and business consulting services company, made its regional debut at Gitex this week, showcasing its wide portfolio of products and services for the first time to enterprises across the Middle East market.

Optimiza was formed from the merger of nine key Middle East and North African ICT companies — Engineering Bureau (CEB), Allied Software (AlliedSoft), IDEAL Group, IDEAL Tech Systems, IDEAL Soft, Aregon, Computer Research & Consultants (CRC), ExecuTrain and Gulf Electronics for Technical Solutions (G-Tech).

The new company aims to provide clients with consulting and technology implementations which offer better managed business processes and more efficient workflow for a wide range of industries. In Saudi Arabia, Optimiza will be headquartered in Riyadh, with local operations led by Waheed Al-Jalaly.

“Optimiza’s offerings form a comprehensive package of end-to-end solutions supported by our regional presence and a significant pool of expertise,” said Hazem Malhas, CEO, Optimiza. “Our pavilion at GITEX has given visitors a preview of some of the leading edge technologies that have been deployed for our customers across many industries in the Middle East and North Africa. Our network of operations allows Optimiza to manage regional projects that combine world class consulting with local knowledge and support in order to make a success of the most ambitious projects.”

Global Knowledge Acquires Synergy

Global Knowledge, the largest privately held provider of training and enterprise learning services for information technology and management professionals, has reached an agreement to acquire Synergy Professional Services (SPS). A privately-owned business headquartered in Dubai, with offices in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, SPS provides professional and technical IT skills training, consulting and services in the Middle East and Africa. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close by month’s end. The company will continue to operate under the Synergy brand for an undetermined period and will report to the EMEA division of Global Knowledge, led by Richard Pryor-Jones, President EMEA.

“As Global Knowledge searched for the right vehicle to enter the rapidly growing and strategically important markets of the Middle East and Africa, we quickly focused on Synergy. Melad Ghabrial, SPS President and CEO, and his team have built Synergy into the most highly respected and well positioned provider of IT technical and professional skills in the region. I am delighted to welcome them to the Global Knowledge family,” commented Joseph W. Cece, CEO and president of Global Knowledge.

SPS already provides IT training through partners in countries in which it does not have a permanent location. SPS employees and management will continue running the business as usual. Global Knowledge and SPS will be looking to make further investments in the company both to establish a presence in more countries within the region and to provide additional resources and support to existing locations, partners and customers.

Nokia to Launch New Mobile Applications

Nokia plans to launch new regional applications to coincide with Ramadan. The devices preloaded with these new applications include: Nokia N73 Special Edition, Nokia N95, Nokia 6300, Nokia 6120 Classic, Nokia 3110 Classic, Nokia E61i, Nokia E90 and Nokia E65.

The applications available in the Nokia devices are: Azkar, Ramadaniat, Ramadan Greetings, Haj and Umrah, Islamic Organizer, Universal Dictionary and Ramadan Themes. In addition to these, the N73 Special Edition includes three e-books, plus Names of Allah and additional Ramadan content.

The Azkar application provides a collection of Azkar for the morning and evening. Users can navigate the application in a choice of different languages including Arabic, English, French, Farsi and Urdu. Users can also send Azkar via SMS to family and friends.

The Tasbeeh counter, which can be used in place of physical prayer beads, can calculate and log the number of prayers said. Ramadaniat consists of a large collection of useful information including the rules of fasting, Zakah Al-Fitr, the benefits of Laylat Al-Qadr and the Itekaf in Ramadan. The Ramadan Greetings application allows users to send greetings cards for the holy season via MMS and SMS, either from the vast array of images in the picture gallery or by creating new cards on the device itself.

The Haj and Umrah application is considered a complete guide to the Haj and Umrah, and contains detailed explanations for every step involved. The application features multimedia instructions with audible narration. The Islamic organizer includes audible alarms for the five daily prayers, a Qibla direction indicator and a Hijri calendar, marking important Islamic events. The Universal Dictionary supports English, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and French. Users can listen to words being pronounced in translation, as well as viewing the translation on screen.