Tales from the midmarket turf war: channel, cost surprises shake up ERP pick at Champion Technologies; why CoorsTek switched its strategy.(Cover Story)

MSI, November, 2003 by Smith, Frank O.

When Champion Technologies looked to replace its amalgam of business applications in spring 2002 with one integrated ERP suite across multiple international sites, the Houston-based company compiled a list of midmarket vendors with solutions geared for its sector--the specialty chemicals industry.

"Just for gains," says Ronnie Meaux, company controller; he also contacted SAP. He wanted to hear the pitch, though he "was 99percent sure they'd be too expensive for us." To his surprise, SAP--the world's largest ERP vendor--was eager to do business through a channel partner with implementation experience in specialty chemicals. SAP made the short list---and won the business. In contrast, when CoorsTek, Golden, Colo., sought to gear up for extensive...

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