SBI Launches New Business Process Optimization Unit

The new group, called Optura, will incorporate the assets of WebFlow, which SBI acquired in May, including its RapidFlow product line.

Optura's offerings will include prepackaged software and consulting in the areas of finance, logistics, human resources, supply chain and procurement, and will complement SBI's existing consulting skills in verticals like manufacturing, financial services, retail, telecommunications and transportation.

Coleman Barney, executive vice president of SBI, a VARBusiness 500 company, said in a statement that the new Optura offerings won't directly compete with enterprise applications from the likes of SAP, Oracle or JD Edwards. Instead, he says the software solutions will complement them to help reduce clients' cost of doing business.

The new unit is already working with existing WebFlow clients like Eastman Chemical, Nestle USA and Hasbro, and it recently signed new clients, including Baker Hughes and Ontario Power Generation.

SBI has been on an acquisition streak since 2001, buying up assets of companies including MarchFirst, Emerald Solutions, Lante and Scient. In creating the new unit, SBI also hopes to create an entirely new avenue to attract clients for its traditional consulting services in areas like customer collaboration, supply chain and enterprise services.