Maltese software developers have successfully completed their first major contract
for Siemens Datatrak Location & Information Systems of the UK. The developers,
Datatrak IT, who operate out of the Mosta Technopark, have created mobile data
terminal software that has been sold to Ontime
Rescue & Recovery. Ontime is one of the UK’s largest operators in
the field of vehicle rescue and recovery, with contract customers that include
the AA, RAC, Greenflag, Direct Line, Britannia, and several British police authorities.
The software developed in Malta allows for the better management of vehicles
and journeys, and makes for easier job dispatching and processing. This cuts
down on costs and increases efficiency. Last year, Ontime rescued and recovered
more than 220,000 customers, using its 220 rescue vehicles. With the benefit
of the new IT system, Ontime is now seeking to expand its market.
The system developed by Datatrak IT sends and receives job information to recovery
vehicles, in a form that can be easily read and replied to by the driver.
Joe Fenech Conti, CEO of Datatrak IT, says he is delighted with the outcome
of the project: “This has been a great opportunity for us. It has given
us the chance to break into this particular market. We are now evaluating more
projects, together with our colleagues at Siemens Datatrak in the UK.”
The Maltese company was chosen because of its track record. “We were asked
to do the job because we could deliver on time, to specification, and in line
with Siemens’ quality standards,” Mr Fenech Conti said. Datatrak
IT is particularly pleased to have developed the product from scratch.
Jean Galea Souchet, Datatrak IT’s project manager, said: “It’s
end-to-end new, not what we call a rack-on. That gives us great satisfaction,
though we had to work extremely hard and to very tight schedules. Siemens Austria’s
programme and system engineering department provided the quality management
programmes for this work. These programmes are becoming the basis for Datatrak
IT’s operation. Roland Scerri, the project quality manager, said: “Visits
to Malta by Ralf Bayrleithner, one of Siemens Austria’s quality consultants,
are giving us what we need to move up the quality ladder.” The Siemens
PSE operation employs around 4,800 software developers in 18 locations in five
European countries and in the US.
Grant Headland, the project manager for Siemens Datatrak in the UK said: “It
has been a pleasure to work with this dedicated, enthusiastic team, who are
so focused on meeting their customers’ requirements. This project has
proved that, given the right organisation and tools, project teams which are
truly international do succeed.”
Published on
The Times of Malta
The Malta Business Weekly(2-8/08/01)"
August 08, 2001 |
