Albanian Sausage manufacturer lays foundation for further growth and increasing exports
The Albanian company FIX PRO is among the country’s top three sausage manufacturers and is growing – by 20 to 30 percent per year. To keep its local growth stable and forge ahead with new ideas for the business while opening new markets outside Albania, FIX PRO searched for an ERP system. The ERP should combine expertise in the meat sector with international standards and best practices.
In the early 90s, the founder of FIX PRO, Nesti Tarusha, focused on selling international brands of spices, flavors, and additives in the Korce region. His experience in raw materials quickly led him to new sausage recipes, which Albanian sausage manufacturers initially produced. Since 2003, FIX PRO has been doing its own meat processing, quickly becoming one of the leading businesses in this industry. Today, the family business with 180 employees generates an annual turnover of around 10 to 15 million euros.
Set for growth
The high national demand is, to some extent, due to the country’s structure. In Albania, which has a population of 2.8 million, more than 30 percent of its meat consumption is imported because the national agricultural structure is not yet sufficiently developed. What’s more, there are some issues with the quality assurance of domestic products. Companies like FIX PRO, therefore, benefit from their high product quality standards. To expand its comfort level, FIX PRO has invested a lot in a new production facility and an ERP system.
A comprehensive system for the entire operation
Today, FIX PRO organizes most parts of its production facilities with the integrated ERP system from the industry specialist CSB-System. Apart from production control, the system now manages procurement and inventory at FIX PRO and keeps track of sales and the whereabouts of the products. Mapping the supply chain processes in the system guarantees seamless traceability of all product lines and batches.
The system meets the industry’s requirements, but also ensures compliance with laws and international standards. That way, FIX PRO has laid the foundation for further growth and increased its export shares.
Digital support for hand-over to the next generation
During the ERP implementation, CSB-System acted as a software supplier and a partner for the future. The commitment of CSB has by far exceeded the scope of an ERP project. The Tarusha family has also used the industry specialist’s expertise for a safe hand-over to the next generation. Following intense consulting, the junior director, Kosta Tarusha, has been specifically trained in using the meat industry solution at the CSB-College. The goal has been to create a business with digital structures to ensure the availability of knowledge and the control of all processes independently of individuals.
Independent implementation reduces the costs
Training the junior director at the CSB-College is the groundwork for the knowledge transfer within the company (training the trainer). After just six months for the conceptual design and the training, the implementation was started – and completed within less than a year. What is unique about this project is that Tarusha and 13 power users were able to introduce and start up the ERP system in Albania, assisted by the consultants of CSB only online and by phone. With this approach, the implementation costs – not to mention the travel costs – could be cut by two-thirds.
Overwhelming satisfaction
“I feel really comfortable with the result,” says Kosta Tarusha. This is no surprise as the result is impressive: FIX PRO has now doubled its production volumes with the standardized processes. Plus, control of the production space, upsized from 2,700 to 5,650 square meters, runs smoothly. All company divisions are or will be controlled by the CSB solution, from quality management to the organization of the growing export shares.
