Descartes Selected to Participate in End-to-End RFID Pilot
STAPLES Business Depot and Other Participants to use Descartes' Delivery Management Solutions in Supply Chain Network Project Pilot
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, December 5, 2005--The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DSGX)(TSX:DSG), a leading provider of on-demand delivery management solutions and services for transportation, logistics, manufacturing, retail and distribution enterprises, today announced that it has been selected by the Supply Chain Network Project(TM), a consortium of industry-leading retailers, suppliers and other technology providers such as Shipcom Wireless, to participate in Canada's first end-to-end EPC/RFID (Electronic Product Code/Radio Frequency Identification) pilot.
In this trial, Descartes' Delivery Management Solutions including Descartes' Visibility & Event Management(TM) and Descartes AVL(TM) (Automated Vehicle Locator), in conjunction with network services provided by the Descartes Global Logistics Network, will be used to capture, synchronize and facilitate EPC/RFID and related logistics messages across STAPLES Business Depot's supply chain - from head office through a warehouse, a store, and several suppliers. The purpose of the pilot is to explore how RFID can be used across the supply chain to help retailers and suppliers reduce costs, increase productivity and provide better customer service.
RFID stands for radio frequency identification - a technology that has existed for several decades, but is now becoming more widely deployed. At a simple level, the technology involves tags that emit radio signals and devices called readers that pick up those signals. When RFID is combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) information, the two provide retailers and suppliers with real-time information about inventory and the status of goods in transit. Descartes' Delivery Management solutions will give STAPLES Business Depot and other SCN participants a dashboard interface that will allow them to monitor logistics progress and inventory status across the entire supply chain, and score-card delivery performance based upon the pallet, case and item level information received from RFID tags.
"We are pleased to be working with the Supply Chain Network Project on this end-to-end RFID pilot with STAPLES Business Depot," says Arthur Mesher, CEO of Descartes. "Many Descartes customers are beginning to explore RFID as a way to gain control of their assets, reduce costs and provide better customer service, and we are committed to providing them with the leading-edge technologies they will need to keep them competitive in tomorrow's marketplace."
About the Supply Chain Network Project
The Supply Chain Network Project is a consortium of retailers, suppliers and logistics providers dedicated to furthering the understanding and impact of emerging technology on the supply chain. For more information on the project and its participating members, visit www.supplychainnetwork.com. Effective September 6th 2005, Jeff Ashcroft, founder and developer of the Supply Chain Network Project, joined PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. PwC will now provide ongoing program management for all current and future Supply Chain Network projects.
About STAPLES Business Depot
The Business Depot Ltd. was founded in Toronto in 1991. It is Canada's largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services for the small business and home office customer. The company is an everyday low price retailer. The chain operates stores in all provinces across Canada under the banners STAPLES (R) Business Depot(TM) and BUREAU EN GROS(TM). The company has over 11,500 employees serving customers through more than 250 office superstores, catalogue, and e-commerce. STAPLES(R) Business Depot(TM)/ BUREAU EN GROS(TM) is committed to making shopping easy by offering customers three ways to shop - on-line, by catalogue and in-store. In addition to the Canadian operation, Staples Inc. serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. More information is available at www.staples.ca .
About Staples, Inc.
Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products company. With 65,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2004 sales of $14.4 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates approximately 1,680 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com.
About Descartes
The Descartes Systems Group Inc. is a leading provider of on-demand delivery management solutions for transportation, logistics, manufacturing, retail and distribution enterprises. Descartes delivers trading partner connectivity and document exchange, route planning, wireless dispatch, rate management, inventory and asset visibility, transportation management and warehouse optimization solutions for industries such as retail, consumer goods, manufacturing, transportation, distribution and third-party logistics. Descartes offers solutions that can be deployed as traditional applications or as a service to help customers optimize and gain real-time control of their inventory, logistics assets and mobile workforce. Descartes solutions are used by more than 2,500 customers in over 60 countries. For more information, visit www.descartes.com.
Contact Information:
Chris Jones
The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
(678) 247-0473
cjones@descartes.com
