SINGAPORE--Enterprise software vendor Epicor will continue to invest in Asia, says a senior company executive.
Speaking at a regional media briefing here last week, Jim Bork, senior vice president for Epicor's worldwide operations, said the company plans to boost its regional presence in order to tap new market opportunities.
Bork declined to disclose specific details but said Epicor will grow its Kuala Lumpur operations, which he added, is "a major regional hub" for the software maker.
Malaysia and Singapore won praise from Bork, who noted both countries' high education and productivity levels. "We don't need to conduct so much training [in the two countries], and people have good work ethics," he added.
Bryan Tan, senior regional director for Epicor Asia, said Malaysia holds tremendous opportunities, especially since more than 90 percent of the companies in Malaysia are small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Tan said Epicor continues to sign on new customers every quarter, notably in sectors such as capital equipment manufacturing, as well as financial and professional services. Companies that joined its list of customers this year include Singapore property and retail group WingTai Holidings, as well as KPMG Singapore.
Epicor, which competes in the ERP (enterprise resource planning) space against companies like SAP, Oracle, Infor and Lawson, is confident about its market posiiton despite the strong competition.
Commenting on its midmarket rival JD Edwards, Bork said Oracle's acquisition of PeopleSoft--which had earlier bought JD Edwards--has benefited Epicor, claiming that JD Edwards has remained low-key. "We don't see a lot of them," Bork said.