Samart Corp has spent Bt500 million on consolidating the IT systems within its group to bring them under the same standard.

The move is aimed at improving efficiency, cutting IT procurement costs and providing a reference for potential customers, said Samart's chief executive Charoenrath Vilailuck on Tuesday.

The project, which was started in the first quarter of 2005, will be completed by the end of this year.

It will also help the group save around Bt1 billion in IT procurement over the next 10 years.

Earlier, each of the subsidiaries

purchased its IT systems independently, he said.

"If we are very successful in running the whole group with the central system and can boost our efficiency,

we will offer the same thing to general companies on a commercial basis," Charoenrath added.

He said the project included the installation of a central computer and IT system, which would be used by 20 subsidiaries in the Samart group.

The central  computer/IT system will comprise a data centre, a security system, a system to control access by employees which is  basedon fingerprint technology, surveillance cameras, network management and personnel management.

Usanee Mongkolporn

 The Nation