KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. Aug. 11, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Neoware Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:NWRE), the leading supplier of award-winning software, services and managed thin client appliances, and GERS Retail Systems, a leading supplier of retail point of sale systems, announced today that the two companies have partnered to market a comprehensive point of sale and back office platform for retailers. The co-marketing agreement creates a single solution that combines GERS' transaction management and business intelligence software with Neoware's secure, manageable and cost-efficient thin client appliances. The new products will be on display during the GERS Retail World 2003 Annual User Conference to be held in San Diego, CA beginning today and running thru August 14th. Under the agreement, GERS and Neoware will each offer the new turnkey solution to retailers looking for a secure thin client appliance platform for accessing server-based applications and enterprise-ready transaction management software. The two companies will jointly promote their products and participate in sales opportunities together.
"Partnering with Neoware lets us offer our retail customers a low cost, centrally managed alternative to personal computers that can easily be deployed in the field," says Phillip Kenney, Vice President of Marketing for GERS Retail Systems. "Our software suite is designed to improve our customers' ROI, and adding Neoware's thin client appliances to our stable of offerings enhances that mission."
In addition to displaying the new integrated products during the GERS Retail World 2003 conference, attendees will be able to use Neoware thin client appliances during break out sessions at the conference to check email, browse the Web, and demo other GERS applications. "The focus of this year's Retail World Expo is to provide our customers with the information on the critical technological issues facing the retail industry", says Kenney. "What better way to demonstrate the competitive edge offered by Neoware's products than to use them to help manage our own conference?"
Neoware's software and thin client appliances are ideal for retail organizations that are looking for a cost effective way to provide access to applications running on servers across local, wide-area and wireless networks or over the Internet. Neoware's managed software approach to thin client computing provides retail customers with an easily administered, centrally managed, secure thin client solution. "We're pleased to partner with GERS Retail Systems and believe that the combination of GERS' retail applications and Neoware's centrally-managed, secure thin clients provide a compelling solution to our joint customers," said Michael Kantrowitz, Chairman and CEO of Neoware Systems. "Now, retailers will be able to increase their productivity and lower their overall technology expenses through this combination."
The product is already in use by some of the national leading retailers, including Levin Furniture who is using the system for both back-office transaction management and point-of-sale applications. According to Nick Rossi, CIO, Levin Furniture, "The combined Neoware/GERS solution allow us to enhance customer satisfaction by providing our salespeople access to both GERS and our office productivity applications on the same device." Rossi added, "For nearly ninety years, we have been able to continually grow our company by exceeding customer expectations and this technology platform enables us to expand our ability to service the customer with better information on the showroom floor."
About GERS Retail Systems
With nearly 30 years of experience and 300 installations worldwide, GERS Retail Systems is a leading supplier of software solutions for the retail marketplace. The GERS Electronic Retail Enterprise includes mission-critical transaction management applications for multi-channel retailing, and provides fully integrated corporate office applications for merchandise replenishment and allocation, distribution center management, and financial control. Integral to the GERS solution set are Business Intelligence applications for predictive modeling and decision support, Merchandise Planning and Allocation tools for increasing returns on inventory investments, and Supply Chain solutions for streamlining communications and maximizing productivity across the enterprise.
For more information on GERS or the Retail World 2003 conference, please visit www.gers.com.
About Neoware
Neoware provides software, services, and solutions to enable Appliance Computing, a proven Internet-based computing architecture targeted at business customers that is designed to be simpler and easier than traditional PC-based computing. Neoware's software and management tools power and manage a new generation of smart computing appliances that utilize the benefits of open, industry-standard technologies to create new alternatives to personal computers used in business and a wide variety of proprietary business devices. Neoware's products are designed to run local applications for specific vertical markets, plus allow access across a network to multi-user Windows servers, Linux servers, mainframes, minicomputers, and the Internet. Computing appliances that run and are managed by Neoware's software offer the cost benefits of industry-standard hardware and software, easier installation, and have lower up-front, maintenance, and administrative costs than proprietary or PC-based alternatives. More information about Neoware can be found on the Web at http://www.neoware.com or via email at invest@neoware.com. Neoware is based in King of Prussia, PA.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding: the growth of the thin client market; our position as the fastest growing player in the thin client computing market; our position as the leading supplier of software, products, services and solutions for the Appliance Computing market; and the benefits of our software-focused business model allowing customers to preserve capital investment and lower ongoing costs of ownership. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in any such forward-looking statement include our ability to continue to lower our costs, our timely development and customers' acceptance of our Appliance Computing products, pricing pressures, rapid technological changes in the industry, growth of the Appliance Computing market, increased competition, our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, our ability to identify and successfully consummate and integrate future acquisitions, adverse changes in customer order patterns, adverse changes in general economic conditions in the U.S. and internationally, risks associated with foreign operations and political and economic uncertainties associated with current world events. These and other risks are detailed from time to time in Neoware's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2002 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2002.
Neoware is a registered trademark of Neoware Systems, Inc. All other names products and services are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
From: For: Gregory FCA Communications, Inc. Neoware Systems, Inc. 27 W. Athens Ave. 400 Feheley Drive Ardmore, PA 19003 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Contact: Contact: Tim Cifelli Sharon O'Shea (610) 642-8253 (610) 277-8300, ext. 1743 email: tim@gregoryfca.com email: sharon.oshea@neoware.com