LONDON and ATLANTA, June 5, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Supply chain optimization provider Manhattan Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq:MANH) has announced that Wincanton, the European supply chain services leader, will standardize its European logistics infrastructure on Manhattan Associates' supply chain solutions platform. The project plan will focus initially on the deployment of Manhattan Associates' Warehouse Management for Open Systems solution across 15 sites in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the UK. Future roll-out plans include Labor Management, Slotting Optimization and Extended Enterprise Management, Manhattan's collaborative commerce solution.
Wincanton chose Manhattan Associates after a thorough review of the market that initially spanned 22 different vendors. The company evaluated the merits of each vendor with a specific focus on functional fit, technical architecture and corporate vision. Wincanton was also looking for support capabilities in the areas of technical back-up and implementation team strength and for vendors with a proven track record of operating in the specified European markets.
Conor Whelan, group IT director at Wincanton, explained, "We're seeing a rapidly changing landscape of customer requirements. Customers are operating in more and more countries and communicating in a growing number of languages, but are increasingly seeking consistency in the way they interact with us. Like most large third party logistics companies, we have grown both organically and through acquisition. The diverse assets we have inherited can not only make systems cumbersome to manage but can also present challenges in providing a consistent service experience to our customers across different geographical regions."
"Manhattan Associates simply stood out from the rest -- which included point solution specialists and ERP vendors," continued Mr Whelan. "Manhattan was the only company that demonstrated it had the range of integrated and functionally rich supply chain solutions that could meet our needs both now and in the future. It was also alone in demonstrating that it had the support network in place to support our vision of a standardized pan-European supply chain systems infrastructure."
Steve Smith, senior vice president, EMEA, at Manhattan Associates, commented, "Naturally, we're delighted that Wincanton has selected Manhattan Associates for this strategic initiative. Given Wincanton's heritage, we see its systems standardization plan as entirely logical. Not only will it allow Wincanton to replicate its service model across all markets, but it will also enable previously unattainable operational efficiencies to be achieved. Furthermore it will facilitate a much freer movement of staff between countries without the necessity for them to be trained on multiple and diverse systems."
About Wincanton
Wincanton is a European leader in the design and delivery of advanced supply chain solutions. Its 30,000 people operate across Europe, producing an annual turnover of over 1.9bn (pounds) / 2.8bn (euros), and offer a broad spectrum of services that enable clients to optimize their logistics requirements at local, national or regional levels.
Serving some of the world's leading companies, Wincanton offers extensive experience in many market sectors, including automotive, chemicals, consumer goods, food service, high tech, industrial, energy & petroleum and retail.
Wincanton is focused on operational excellence, continually striving to provide value and product leadership through a detailed understanding of companies' requirements. The results are solutions that allow customers to focus on their core business. Warehousing solutions are tailored to requirements on a dedicated, shared-user or networked basis, while transport is provided utilizing road, rail, air and intermodal systems. Further information on Wincanton's unique achievements and competencies can be found by visiting www.wincanton.co.uk.
About Manhattan Associates, Inc.
Manhattan Associates continues to deliver on its 17 year heritage of providing global supply chain excellence to more than 1,200 customers worldwide that consider supply chain optimization core to their strategic market leadership. The company's supply chain innovations include: Manhattan SCOPE, a portfolio of software solutions and technology that leverages a Supply Chain Process Platform to help organizations optimize their supply chains from planning through execution; Manhattan ILS, a portfolio of distribution management and transportation management solutions built on Microsoft.NET technology; and Manhattan Carrier Management, a suite of supply chain solutions specifically addressing the needs of the motor carrier industry. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.