Case Study - Client based in Boston US

Q3 helped leverage industry standard information database for a leading bioinformatics software company


Q3's global sourcing model gives the maximum benefit to customers in terms of cost savings, improved quality, access to highly talented professionals, flexibility of operations and reduced time to market.

Company Profile


The client is the industry leading supplier of internet browser and web server based chemical databases consulting services to biotechnological, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Business Situation

 

The scientists’ (pharma, medicinal and chemical, biological industry) across the world are trying to invent new products each day to help mankind. For every invention needs lot of back ground and lot of synthetic work. The inventory took lot of time. The starting materials are not available at a convenient time with lower cost. Searching through suppliers' catalogs is inconvenient and error-prone - especially if some are paper-based, some are on CD and some need importing to a database. So if any one can have online e-procurement, it would be helpful to the scientist allowing them to access the information in a consistent and convenient manner.

The client had a vision to provide online e-procurement solution to scientist throughout the world with perfect data and up to date suppliers’ products information.

 

Major hurdles in this work are

 

  • Non availability of good quality data. Most of the time the supplier’s data is not up to the mark to what a scientist expects. The data need to be cleaned and formatted.
  • The suppliers’ always keep on changing their products price and quantity. These changes need to be updated every 3 months.


Technical Situation

 

ChemACX (Available Chemicals Exchange) is a class of databases available from chemical manufacturers and distributors, featuring complete catalogs of major world suppliers of fine research, specialty, and industrial chemicals. The application brings chemical ordering to your desktop through a user-friendly web based interface.

 

The database is your guide to commercially available chemicals worldwide. Whether you are planning a bench synthesis, scale-up, or a commercial process, you can search these databases to determine the availability and sources for the chemicals you need. Chemicals can be searched for in the database by Chemical structure, Chemical substructure, Compound name, Molecular formula, CAS Registry Number and Molecular weight range.

 

This database is available in desktop, web server and enterprise versions.

 

Technical: MS Access, SQL Server 2000

 

Released once in six month. (Now, every three months).

ChemACX can be combined with other applications such as Inventory Manager and Browser although some details of these components are not discussed.

A database of MSDS data sheets is linked to ChemACX compound records by CAS number. If there are multiple data sheets available, all of the options are made available.

How is it useful?

 

ChemACX is your guide to commercially available chemicals worldwide. Whether you are planning a bench synthesis, scale-up, or a commercial process, you can search these databases to determine the availability and sources for the chemicals you need. You can search ChemACX by any of the following:

 

  • Chemical structure
  • Chemical substructure
  • Compound name
  • Molecular formula
  • CAS Registry Number
  • Molecular weight range
  • Combinations of the above criteria

 

ChemACX Database
Directory: ChemACX
Filenames: Acx2004Index.cfw, Acx2004Prod.cfw,
Acx2004Supplier.cfw
Number of Catalogs: 346
Number of Unique Chemical Entities: >305, 000
Number of Chemical Products: >595, 000

Benefits

 

Q3 set up a dedicated team consisting of a team lead and database developers with Internal program managers to monitor and guide the client-vendor partnership

.

Q3 ensured a transparent and flexible relationship by putting the right combination of people and technology under detailed consultation with technical managers at client site.

 

Semi-detailed specifications were provided by client’s and Q3’s system architects worked extensively with peers both at Q3 and at client site for building a state of the art data base structure and detailed functional and design specifications.

 

Automated testing tools like Win runner were used by experienced QA professionals to ensure bug free, application milestones delivery within deadlines.


Customer Speaks

blockquoteIn this difficult economic environment, Symfo decided to outsource one of its most critical developments to Q3 Tech. We were definitely reluctant doing so at the beginning of the project. But rapidly we understood that Q3 had the necessary skills and professionalism to bring the project to a successful realization. It was not always easy primarily because of the differences of culture. However once we understood each other, things went much better. We also understood that such a difficult project needed intense communications between Q3 and our company. Our company works on two time zones (Europe and East Coast North America) and we were amazed by the availability of the Project Manager and his team. It really contributed improving communications between us.

Phase I of our product is now ready and we are quite happy with it. We are definitely ready to start Phase II with Q3 and we highly recommend them.blockquote
Serge Bodart
CEO, Symfo SA, Belgium.