intro p: (03) 8337 0444 f: (03) 8621 8918 e: info@jx2.com.au
 
Hello there,

Happy new-year and welcome to the first VINx2 newsletter for 2008 - a new initiative of ours to keep you up-to-date on all the latest news surrounding our next-generation winery production system, VINx2.

First and foremost, we'd like to thank our newest clients for choosing VINx2 in preparation for vintage. Their feedback has been invaluable and has helped shape VINx2 into the leading software solution for contract and estate production.

   
     

In this edition we take a look back at 2007, before looking at the year ahead. Finally we answer a common question 'What makes VINx2 unique?'.

All the best for vintage and don't forget to check out our online video demonstrations of VINx2.

Jamie, Zane and Josh.

Ps. If you have trouble viewing this newsletter, please browse to http://jx2.com.au/newsletter0108.html

A look back at 2007
2007 was an exciting year for us with the launch of our winery production system VINx2 at WineTech in July. We were delighted by the positive response and feedback and have since been installing VINx2 across Australia in readiness for vintage 2008.

In just five months VINx2 has become the de-facto solution-of-choice for contract winery production in Australia.

Following our pilot success with Mac Forbes Wines of the Yarra Valley, we secured Belvidere Winery of Langhorne Creek on day one of the WineTech exhibition. Belvidere is a large scale multi-contract facility - capable of crushing in excess of 20,000 tonnes - and they gave us the opportunity to prove the value of VINx2 beyond boutique sized production. Mark Turnbull, Managing Director of Belvidere Winery had this to say

"VINx2 is an exciting technical innovation that greatly enhances the flow of information to my desk and throughout the winery. We are already seeing workflow efficiencies and have a very good visual indication of what's happening. The entire solution is poised to add value to our customer relationships and help ensure that we are at the forefront of winery best practice and innovation for years to come."

In November, VINx2 was installed at Josef Chromy Wines, just three weeks before the official winery opening by Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon. According to Mr Lennon "Mr Chromy's latest investment provided a home for some of the best wine-making equipment available and was a significant investment in the future of the industry."

In early December, VINx2 was installed at the award winning contract winery, The Vintage Wineworx of Western Australia. Headed by Dr. Di Miller, the winery has recently undergone a $1 million expansion and was officially re-opened by influential wine critic James Halliday.

Another Western Australian facility, the newly constructed contract Matildas Winery is scheduled to install VINx2 within the next two weeks. Winemaker, Coby Ladwig, saw VINx2 at WineTech and was impressed enough to place an while the winery was still under construction.

On a personal note, 2007 was a momentous year for two of the directors. In February, Jamie and his wife Fiona welcomed their second child Lachlan home and in November Joshua married long time partner Emily in Evandale, TAS.


The year ahead

VINx2 is now installed across 4 of the 6 major wine producing states of Australia in wineries ranging in size from 120-20,000 tonnes. Significant interest has been shown nationwide and we are scheduled for more installations following the heat of vintage.

We have just released a new module for Owner login and Reporting. This module builds on the efficiencies gained in the winery by establishing a direct flow of information to your clients across the internet. It provides your clients access to information about their products and allows them to produce their own reports, freeing up a winemakers time. Belvidere Winery has employed this module and we expect more interest to follow early this year. Please see the 'Owner Login & Reporting' video demonstration by clicking here.

Also, in conjunction with one of our clients, we have commenced work on a Warehousing and Accounting module that will provide advanced inventory management whilst further solidifying VINx2's link to accounting packages such as MYOB. JX2 is an accredited MYOB development partner and we are committed to streamlining the flow of relevant information to dedicated financial packages - preserving your existing investment.

Additionally we expect to explore the overseas potential of VINx2 with strong interest being shown from the UK, New Zealand and North America.


What makes VINx2 unique?

VINx2 is the only enterprise level system built around the needs of winemakers in the first instance. What this achieves is a fundamental shift in the usability focus away from traditional 'book-keeping' based systems to a work-flow naturally aspirated towards winemakers.

VINx2 is designed to complement the winery work environment and improve its efficiency through bar-coded cellar notes that can be quickly recorded upon job completion. Our intuitive design pre-enters information so that a 'Rack off lees', for example, could be recorded with a quick swipe of the barcode and the entry of your dip ticks - no calculators, no spreadsheets!

In addition to saving time another benefit of having a winemaking centric focus is the increased flow of information to the 'back-office' for management and accounting. For example, with VINx2 a complete stock report can be compiled instantly and for any time in a wineries history. You can also track loss and identify areas of improvement by using the entire range of rich management reports.


VINx2 is modern, slick and appeals to the 'iPod' generation of computer users. Besides an easy-to-use interface VINx2 is built on the same database technology in use by many of Australia's largest companies for robust mission critical systems.

When it comes to choosing the right solution to improve winery work-flow - VINx2 is the obvious choice.

But don't take our word for it - experience VINx2 for yourself via an online video demonstration.