Holtung Implements IMI Order Software in Seven Months

Holtung Implements IMI Order Software in Seven Months and Significantly Improves Customer Fulfillment IMI Delivers Web-enabled Order Capabilities On Time and Under Budget Mt. Laurel, N.J. (February 10, 2004) - Industri-Matematik International Corp. (IMI) today announced the successful go-live of IMI Order software at Holtung AS, the third largest Norwegian pharmaceutical wholesaler. The IMI software allows Holtung to provide Internet-based ordering capabilities and manage the high-volume order spikes it receives each day, to deliver strong service and fast response times. Since it went live with IMI Order, Holtung has noted an eighty percent (80%) performance increase on functions including product search and order processing. Completed on time and under budget, the implementation cycle from contract signing to project go-live was seven months, including modifications and delivery of an IMI web portal solution to support over 400 pharmacy customers. The IMI system replaced a legacy system and is creating new efficiencies for all processes associated with customer demand. "We now have a solution that fully supports our pharmacy customers in efficiently completing their day-to-day work. Our performance tests show that our pharmacy customers now spend only 20 seconds to upload an order with 300-400 order lines, instead of it taking 150 seconds, as before," said Britta Nielsen, IT Manager at Holtung. "IMI Order has proven itself to manage our level of high-volume processing, is easy to use and comes with the security of future-enabled Internet technology." The Holtung solution is highly automated with 98 to 99 percent of incoming order-lines placed through customer portals where pharmacies enter their own orders. With the portals, customers also have access to a full range of web self-service features that provide visibility to real-time supply chain constraints, such as available-to-promise (ATP), pricing and promotion, current customer credit status, and open orders and invoices. These features ensure all needed information regarding an order is available to a customer before the order is submitted. IMI Order also enables Holtung to be fully integrated with its trading partners. Suppliers can access the Holtung data warehouse, which is fed with data from IMI Order. Holtung can electronically send statistical and purchase data directly to its suppliers. These capabilities have freed up the Holtung customer service center, so they only deal with exceptions and deviations. Commenting on the successful go-live, Bob Fedorciow, IMI's vice president of EMEA Field Operations said, "The new IMI web order system enables Holtung to keep pace with the many requirements demanded by customers and suppliers. It is a key competitive edge helping Holtung deliver top-level customer satisfaction. Holtung wanted both flexibility and improved control in processing its critical business transactions and IMI Order has allowed them to build the infrastructure and support required for a long-term initiative, whilst achieving immediate business benefits." Norwegian law requires that pharmaceutical wholesalers must carry all approved drugs and have the ability to deliver both prescription and non- prescription products within 24 hours to any pharmacy in Norway. This requirement, given the country's geography, presents a challenge. Holtung manages distribution from one central warehouse south of Oslo, providing next-day order delivery to customers. Holtung stocks more than 10,000 pharmaceutical products with an additional 4,000 healthcare products available to customers. Its customers include 120 pharmacies, 200 institutions and 80 healthcare retailers. Holtung is part of Alliance UniChem Plc, which is one of the largest Pan-European pharmaceutical wholesalers with operations also in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. About Industri-Matematik Industri-Matematik International Corp. (IMI) is a leading provider of supply chain solutions for the retail value chain. IMI focuses on performance-driven customer fulfillment using sophisticated analytic applications that provide a granular view of critical data for real- time, complex decision-making. The company is dedicated to helping consumer goods and retail companies automate, streamline and measure order management and replenishment processes, based on actual customer demand. IMI offers proven solutions in collaborative order management, fulfillment, distribution center / store replenishment, supply chain analytics, visibility and event management capabilities. IMI products are used by the world's leading companies including Albert Heijn, AT&T, Campbell Soup, Canadian Tire, Dannon, Dial, Frito Lay, GE Plastics, Hakon, Hartz Mountain, InterPharm, Kellogg's, Price Chopper Supermarkets, JM Smuckers, Sherwin Williams, Starbucks, VWR International and Warner/Electra/Atlantic. IMI is headquartered in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey with offices in the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands. Additional information about IMI is available at www.industri-matematik.com. # # # For more information, contact: Industri-Matematik International Corp. Porter Novelli Public Relations Peg Archdeacon Albie Jarvis or Julie Redard +1. 856.793.3223 +1. 617.897.8200 parchdeacon@imiamericas.com julie.redard@porternovelli.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/02/10/20040210BIT00300/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/02/10/20040210BIT00300/wkr0002.pdf