Grupo Elektra Chooses Manugistics to Enhance Competitive AdvantageAnd Support Rapid Growth in Latin America; Manugistics Retail Solution to Be Implemented Across All Retail Store Formats;Will Also Support eCommerce Initiatives
ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Manugistics Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MANU), a leading global provider of intelligent supply chain and eBusiness solutions for enterprises and evolving trading networks, today announced that Grupo Elektra S.A. de C.V. (NYSE: EKT; BMV: ELEKTRA), Latin America's leading specialty retailer and consumer finance company, has purchased Manugistics Retail Solution to enhance the customer service experience across all channels and to support its rapid expansion across the region.
Manugistics will power a Web-based collaborative forecasting and replenishment network linking Grupo Elektra's key suppliers, and 10 distribution centers, with the approximately 1000 retail stores it operates in cities across Mexico and five other countries in Latin America. The solution will also help fulfill sales generated via the Internet. Plans are in development to use the solution to create an intelligent transportation network that can manage inbound freight movements across multiple modes of transportation.
By replacing a paper-intensive replenishment and forecasting management system with an integrated, real-time, electronic trading network, Grupo Elektra anticipates that the time saved will allow its employees to better serve its many customers, and pursue more revenue generating or cost cutting opportunities. The company also expects to achieve lower inventories, higher inventory turns, lower lead times, and better responsiveness. The Manugistics project is currently in its initial stages of implementation and a complete roll out is expected to be finalized by the end of next year. However, Elektra expects to begin realizing benefits in the near term.
"An efficient, customer-responsive supply chain is a critical and strategic component of our ambitious growth strategy," said Jose Antonio Tellez, Elektra's Vice-president for Logistics and Distribution. "We want customers in some of our smallest markets to have the same level of service as found in the biggest cities. Manugistics has proven it can facilitate significant business benefits in a short period of time for retailers known throughout the Americas. We believe their Retail Solution will strengthen our market leadership position, and help remake our company into the technological leader in logistics and distribution, of the Latin American retail industry."
With annual sales approaching $1.5 billion, and plans to add an important number of stores in the next five years, Grupo Elektra needed a technology provider with a solution flexible and scalable enough to accommodate rapid increases in sales volume while improving forecast accuracy and supply chain visibility down to the stock keeping unit (SKU) level. Manugistics Retail Solution was selected following a competitive evaluation involving several best-of-breed providers.
"Our solutions are ideally suited to support Grupo Elektra's aggressive growth strategy," said Rich Bergmann, executive vice president, global sales and services, Manugistics. "Manugistics Retail Solution, which includes a powerful combination of the Manugistics NetWORKS(TM) products suite, can help leading retailers like Grupo Elektra increase their market share, revenue and customer base while decreasing operating costs and increasing customer service."
Manugistics will also create and contribute a Supply Chain Management continuous education curriculum for Elektra University, an employee-training center, to help ensure that Elektra employees are able to use and apply their knowledge to drive continuous improvement.
Manugistics' solutions are leveraged by 3 of the top 4 Fortune 500 retailers. Leading retail clients include companies such as Canadian Tire, Lowes, Payless Cashways, Ross Stores, Starbucks, Target, The Gap, and The Limited.
About Grupo Elektra S.A. de C.V.
Grupo Elektra S.A. de C.V. is Latin America's leading specialty retailer and consumer finance company. Grupo Elektra sells goods and services through its Elektra, Salinas y Rocha, and THE ONE stores and over the Internet. The Group operates almost 1,000 stores in Mexico and five other countries in Latin America, as well as its virtual stores, offering household appliances, furniture, and clothing. Financial services include consumer credit, money transfers, savings accounts, extended warranties and servicing of home mortgages. Grupo Elektra also holds a major investment in TV Azteca, one of two broadcast television networks in Mexico.
About Manugistics Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Rockville, Md., Manugistics Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of intelligent supply chain and eBusiness solutions for enterprises and evolving eBusiness trading networks. With more than 900 clients, Manugistics powers intelligent decisions for profitable growth in leading companies such as 3Com, Amazon.com, BP, Brown & Williamson, Coca-Cola Bottling, Cisco Systems, Commerx, Compaq, DuPont, FreightWise, General Electric, Harley-Davidson, Hormel, Nestle, Texas Instruments, Timberland and Unilever.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, CONTACT THE MANUGISTICS NEWSBUREAU HOTLINE AT 301-984-5330.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, anticipated losses, unpredictability of future revenues, potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results, competition, risks related to quarterly performance, risks of system interruption, management of potential growth, and risks of new business areas, international expansion, business combinations, and strategic alliances. More information about factors that potentially could affect Manugistics financial results is included in Manugistics filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 29, 2000, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 31, 2000.
Manugistics is a registered trademark, and the Manugistics logo, the phrase "Leveraged Intelligence," and NetWORKS are trademarks, of Manugistics, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Additional information about Manugistics can be found at the company's site on the World Wide Web, at manugistics.com.
SOURCE Manugistics Group, Inc.
CO: Manugistics Group, Inc.; Grupo Elektra S.A. de C.V.
ST: Maryland, Mexico
IN: CPR MLM REA
SU:
11/15/2000 11:20 EST prnewswire.com |
