MIAMI, June 29, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NGC® (New Generation Computing®) today announced that SPANX, the shapewear innovator whose hundreds of shaping, contouring undergarment designs have redefined beauty and fashion for women and men around the world, has begun implementation of NGC's e-PLM® and e-SPS® software for PLM and global sourcing. NGC's software is helping the company increase speed to market and improve organization, collaboration and communication between designers, factories and employees.
Ten years ago, consumer-turned-entrepreneur Sara Blakely created the SPANX brand to give women of every shape and size the ability to feel confident and sexy in any fashion. Today, SPANX products are sold by America's finest retailers and boutiques as well as high-end retailers all over the world.
Prior to e-PLM and e-SPS, SPANX managed the company's product design and factory collaboration with manual processes. "We ran the business on spreadsheets, as it typical with young companies," said Robert Hunnicutt, technology project manager, SPANX. "But with our rapid growth, it became harder to manage information and the flow of data. Our product line was growing tremendously, we added more staff, and the number of factories tripled within 12 months. We couldn't keep running our business on spreadsheets."
SPANX set out to find a PLM system that could help them efficiently manage not only product design but also purchase orders, production and shipping; the company ultimately selected NGC out of a dozen vendors. "We needed a system to help speed up development, from concept to production. And when we found out that NGC offered integrated PLM and global sourcing, the choice was obvious," said Hunnicutt.
SPANX is already seeing the impact of NGC's software in the company's day-to-day operations, with benefits that include:
- Streamlined product development. With NGC's PLM software, SPANX can now organize product sketches, specifications and all digital assets much more efficiently. SPANX can pinpoint information on each product, regardless of the stage of development, and quickly make any necessary changes without searching through spreadsheets and emails.
In addition, the PLM implementation has "forced us to look at our design processes," according to Hunnicutt. "We've streamlined the flow of information and become more structured, which is allowing us to speed up the design process."
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Improved efficiency. SPANX has added three different sub-brands since selecting NGC, but the company is handling the additional product lines with only minimal staff increases. "Our designers are using their time more efficiently, which has allowed us to have more products available and add more flexibility into our design schedules," Hunnicutt said. "With every improvement NGC allows us to make, we are saving valuable minutes, hours and days, which helps us save on staff overhead."
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Enhanced communication and collaboration with factories. "This system pays for itself with this benefit," said Hunnicutt. "e-SPS allows us to collaborate with the factories, and each style has its own communication thread. Our manufacturers can simply log in to the system and have access to every piece of information they need, such as design specifications, measurements and production notes."
- Faster speed to market. As a result of the improvements in design processes and production, SPANX is shortening the time it takes to move a product from design concept to production, allowing retailers and customers to receive their orders faster.
"NGC is pleased that SPANX is already realizing significant benefits from e-PLM and e-SPS," said Mark Burstein, president of sales and marketing, NGC. "We look forward to continuing to work with SPANX on the implementation and to helping them take advantage of the many benefits of a combined PLM and global sourcing system."
About Spanx
Ten years ago, Sara Blakely began her mission to make the world a better place, one butt at a time. A frustrated (yet fashionable) consumer-turned-entrepreneur, Sara reinvented shapewear with innovative designs and smart features and won the hearts of fashion-loving women, from Oprah Winfrey to Gwyneth Paltrow. Obsessed with creating comfortable garments that minimize figure flaws, Sara has helped create more than 200 problem-solving products and recently entered the bra business with the ground-breaking Bra-llelujah! In 2006 Sara brought her shapewear know-how to more women with the national launch of ASSETS®, a new collection of shapewear and legwear designed to help women achieve their own red carpet look for less. Continuing to raise the bar with innovative products women want, in 2009 Sara launched Haute Contour®, a lingerie-inspired collection known as the dessert of shapewear™. Today, after many years of demand, Spanx brings their industry expertise to the pool and the beach with swimwear and to men with a redefined cotton compression undershirt.
About NGC
NGC® (New Generation Computing®) is a leading provider of PLM and Global Sourcing solutions for brands, retailers and consumer products companies. NGC helps our customers increase profitability of private-label merchandise, reduce cost of goods sold, improve speed to market and product quality, and manage compliance and testing.
NGC received the highest possible ranking in a leading analyst firm's 2009 and 2008 reports on PLM for apparel and footwear and has been recognized as a top 100 supply chain and logistics company by Inbound Logistics, Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. It's no wonder that VF Corporation®, A|X Armani Exchange®, Carter's®, Casual Male Retail Group®, R.G. Barry, Hugo Boss®, Dick's Sporting Goods, Isda & Co., STONY Apparel, Tristan & America®, Parigi Group and many other leading companies rely on NGC.
NGC has offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, China, India, Mexico, and El Salvador and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Software Inc. (Nasdaq:AMSWA). For more information, visit www.ngcsoftware.com.
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Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by statements made herein. These factors include, but are not limited to, changes in general economic conditions, technology and the market for NGC's (the Company) products and services including economic conditions within the e-commerce markets; the timely availability and market acceptance of these products and services; the effect of competitive products and pricing; the uncertainty of the viability and effectiveness of strategic alliances; and the irregular pattern of the Company's revenues. For further information about risks the Company and American Software could experience as well as other information, please refer to American Software, Inc's. Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2009 and other reports and documents subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information about risks the Company could face as well as other information, contact Vincent C. Klinges, Chief Financial Officer, American Software, Inc., 470 East Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305, (404) 261-9777. FAX: (404) 264-5206 INTERNET: http://www.amsoftware.com.
TRADEMARKS: NGC, New Generation Computing, e-SPS, e-PLM and RedHorse are registered trademarks of New Generation Computing.