IBS and i2 in global alliance to offer market-leading supply chain slutions for mid-sized companies

IBS and i2 in global alliance to offer market-leading supply chain solutions for mid-sized companies IBM Global Services to provide implementation IBS, world leader in supply chain execution software solutions, and i2 Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of value chain management solutions, today announced a global alliance. i2 and IBS will provide an integrated supply chain planning and execution solution designed to significantly decrease mid-size customers' implementation times and integration costs. The joint mid-market solution will consist of IBS Virtual Enterprise and ASW software, and components of the i2 Supply Chain Management planning solution. IBM will provide consulting services and tailored implementation services for rapid installation and fast deployment of the new i2-IBS solution. "This new alliance between the global market leaders of supply chain execution and planning, combined with IBM's extensive services capabilities, will enable medium-sized companies to leverage the most advanced supply chain solutions available," said Staffan Ahlberg, CEO of IBS. "The alliance will also strengthen the close co-operation that we recently announced with IBM Global Services around our Virtual Enterprise software. We now can add the best multi-company planning software to our product range, and our customers also gain access to the skills that IBM Global Services have on the i2 software and Virtual Enterprise. i2's software has a strong position with very large corporations. With this new co-operation, we will now be able to offer the best solutions and implementation services for the mid-market," said Staffan Ahlberg. "The alliance between i2 and IBS offers medium-sized enterprises the opportunity to collectively work with two leading companies in their respective and synergistic application sectors", comments Simon Pollard, Vice President EMEA at AMR Research. "The intention is to make advanced supply chain technology more accessible to the mid-market by providing an integration between IBS' supply chain execution software and i2's supply chain planning software, all supported via a specifically tailored and experienced mid-market channel." According to AMR Research, both i2 and IBS are global market leaders. i2 has more than 1,000 customers worldwide, including more than half of the Fortune 500 companies. IBS has more than 5,000 customers in 40 countries, primarily medium-sized companies and divisions of large companies. Frank Lerchenmueller, Vice President IBM Global Services' Buy & Supply Solutions Business Innovation Services said, "This new offering from i2 and IBS will allow customers to maximise and accelerate the benefits in optimising their supply chains." How the alliance will deliver customer value Mid-sized customers will be able to leverage powerful technology designed to attain: · Competitive advantage and customer loyalty through optimised fulfilment processes and increased operational efficiency · Fast time to customer value through the availability of templates and proven implementation capabilities · Cost and time savings through streamlined processes and elimination of waste in the supply chain · Increased visibility across single or multiple supply chains to help managers make better business decisions in real time "In today's global business environment, it is not only the single company's efficiency that determines competitive advantage, but also the dynamics in its collaboration with suppliers, partners and customers," said Philip Crawford, President, i2 EMEA. "Through our combined offering, i2 and IBS intend to provide integrated best-of-breed solutions that address this challenge, while minimising implementation times and integration costs. i2 is committed to the success of our customers, and we believe that our partnership with IBS will give our customers a competitive advantage." About IBS AB: IBS, International Business Systems, is a leading global provider of integrated supply chain execution and customer relation solutions for distributors and demand-driven international manufacturing companies. IBS' primary focus is mid-sized and large wholesale distributors as well as sales and manufacturing companies in international groups, especially in pharmaceuticals, electronic parts and equipment, automotive parts and supplies, machinery, industrial supplies and consumer durables. IBS is recognised by AMR Research as a leading supplier of supply chain execution software and services. IBS has some 5,000 customers, among them many leading companies such as Volvo, Miele, Nautor Swan, Nintendo of Europe, Galexis, Ciba Vision, Maxell, ABB, Expert, Cartier and Lear Corporation. The IBS Group has revenues of $260m, 2,250 employees and permanent operations in 22 countries. For more information, please visit www.ibs.se About i2: For more than a decade, i2 has been a leader in supply chain management. i2 has extended its technology and expertise to Dynamic Value Chain Management solutions to help companies collaborate on decision-making processes not only across functions within a single company, but across multiple companies. i2 solutions span the value chain interactions, including customer relationship management, supply chain management and supplier relationship management. Established in 1988, i2 is the only software solutions provider that measures, audits, and reports total value provided to its customers, with a mission to deliver $75 billion in value by 2005. Learn more at www.i2.com i2 is a registered trademark of i2 Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please contact: Mette Krogh Magnus Wastenson, Nordic Marketing Manager, i2 VP Global Marketing, IBS AB Office: +45 86 13 82 57 Tel: +46 (0)8 627 2515 Mobile: +45 20 827 825 Mobile: +46 (0)70 627 2515 mette_krogh@i2.com magnus.wastenson@ibs.se Ken Adcock Staffan Ahlberg Vice President EMEA Alliances, CEO, IBS AB i2 Tel: +46 (0)8 627 2420 Tel: +44 1628 60 1248 Mobile: +46 (0)70 627 2420 ken_adcock@i2.com staffan.ahlberg@ibs.se ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/05/07/20020507BIT00420/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/05/07/20020507BIT00420/wkr0002.pdf