Article published in Cybernet News, Issue 80, March/April 1978.

S F Bush with G Schwarz and E P B Jongen.

Introduction

APEX III mathematical programming system and PDS/MaGen matrix and report gnerator from CYBERNET Data Services help ICI Europa analyze complex business plans.

ICI, or Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, is a British-based international group of companies with 1977 sales of 4.6 billion pounds ($9 billion) in chemicals, petrochemicals, plastics, fibers, dyes, paints, pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals and nonferrous products.

Since its incorporation in 1926, ICI has provided the world with many new products including:

• Polyethylene
• Polyester fiber
• An important group of cardiovascular drugs
• Remedies for tropical diseases and epilepsy
• Animal feed from methanol

 
Outside the United Kingdom, ICI has almost 300 subsidiary companies and a considerable number of associated companies engaged in manufacturing and selling.

ICI Europa, with headquartes near Brussels, Belgium, coordinates the activities of the manfacturing and selling companies located in continental Europe. ICI Europa also works closely with nine product group divisions in the UK and ICI headquarters in London.

ICI’s use of APEX III in combination with PDS/MaGen began when a member of the polyurethane business area asked for assistance in analyzing investment plans. The Systems Technology Group of ICI Europa began to work on a solution.