ERP Software facilitates reseller business management.
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Press Release Summary:
SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers helps users compete more effectively in environments where technology has dramatically changed consumer buying habits. Designed to simplify evaluation, adoption, management, and evolution of business management solutions, it provides industry process automation and optimization in turnkey, end-to-end solution. Supplier neutral solution includes ERP, content management, and customizable e-commerce solutions.
Original Press Release:
United Stationers and SAP America Create New Business Management Solution for Resellers
Comprehensive Hosted Software Solution to Help Independent Resellers More Effectively Compete
DES PLAINES, Ill., Nov. 7 /-- United Stationers Inc. (NASDAQ:USTR), North America's largest broad line wholesale distributor of business products and SAP America, Inc., a subsidiary of SAP AG (NYSE:SAP), the world's leading provider of business software solutions, announced they have jointly created the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers. The objective of this solution, presented jointly by the two companies at United Stationers' recent Vision 2006 Conference in Las Vegas, is to empower customers of United -- independent business products resellers -- to compete more effectively in an environment in which technology has dramatically changed consumer buying habits.
"Independent business products resellers account for approximately 80% of United Stationers' annual revenues," explained Richard W. Gochnauer, United's president and chief executive officer. "Providing this solution is the latest step in a long series of value-added services United has created to help these resellers increase their market share and profitability. Our research indicated that one of the biggest challenges facing this sector was that many larger competitors were using more technologically advanced systems to enhance the consumer's buying experience. In partnership with SAP America, and with the assistance of an advisory council of independent dealers, we worked with SAP America to develop the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers to make these businesses more competitive."
Mark Hampton, United Stationers senior vice president of marketing explained, "Aggressive and effective use of emerging technologies equates to power for resellers -- regardless of their size, scope or orientation. Over the last several years, United's research revealed end consumers increasingly turn to the Internet for researching and purchasing all categories of business products. We believe the solution developed with SAP will allow independent resellers to leverage both their close selling relationships with end customers and integrated technology, giving them a long-term competitive advantage in the market."
State-of-the-Art Approach
The SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers will be sold, implemented, managed and serviced by SAP, with the support of selected SAP business partners. The program is designed to simplify the evaluation, adoption, management and evolution of business management solutions for independent business products resellers. It will offer a breadth and depth of office products industry process automation and optimization in a complete turnkey, end-to-end solution. In addition, this technology solution is "supplier neutral," enabling resellers to continue to buy as they always have, using a system that will accept content from United Stationers, and other wholesalers currently serving the supply chain.
The system provides a number of benefits:
-- A software solution for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) including finance, order management and logistics.
-- A comprehensive content management solution developed by United and delivered to business products resellers by SAP, specifically designed to manage office products content, including all content objects and types, with delivery through multiple channels.
-- A fully customizable e-commerce solution, to make the independent reseller's customers Web site shopping and buying experience fast, easy and friendly, with a depth of product offering in all categories.
"In developing this solution, we and United worked with specific business products resellers in developing a targeted menu of software and services, including implementation, technical administration, training, support, and data center services, all hosted by SAP, at an affordable cost," said Gary Fromer, senior vice president, Managed Services, SAP America, Inc. "The new solution will empower independent resellers with greater financial control, improved order management and logistics, and enhanced customer service and support capabilities -- all aimed at driving competitiveness, reducing operating costs, and increasing revenue."
More Information on the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers
For more information on the SAP Hosted Solution for Business Products Resellers, please visit www.unitedstationers.com/SAP , or contact Ed Rodham, United Stationers, 847-699-5000, or visit sap.com/usa/bpr .
About United Stationers
United Stationers Inc. is North America's largest broad line wholesale distributor of business products, with sales for the trailing 12 months of approximately $4.3 billion. Its integrated computer-based distribution systems make more than 40,000 items available to approximately 20,000 resellers. United is able to ship products within 24 hours of order placement because of its 35 United Stationers Supply Co. distribution centers, 32 Lagasse distribution centers that serve the janitorial, sanitation, and foodservice consumables industries, two Azerty distribution centers in Mexico that serve computer supply resellers, and two distribution centers that serve the Canadian marketplace. Its focus on fulfillment excellence has given the company an average order fill rate of better than 97%, a 99.5% order accuracy rate, and a 99% on-time delivery rate. For more information, visit www.unitedstationers.com/ .
The company's common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market(R) under the symbol USTR.
About SAP
SAP is the world's leading provider of business software solutions*. Today, more than 29,800 customers in over 120 countries run more than 100,600 installations of SAP(R) software -- from distinct solutions addressing the needs of small and midsize enterprises to suite solutions for global organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver(R) platform to drive innovation and enable business change, mySAP(TM) Business Suite solutions are helping enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. SAP industry solutions support the unique business processes of more than 25 industry segments, including high tech, retail, public sector and financial services. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at www.sap.com/ .)
(*) SAP defines business software solutions as comprising enterprise resource planning and related software solutions such as supply chain management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management and supplier relationship management.
SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.
CONTACT: Kathleen S. Dvorak, Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Stationers Inc., +1-847-699-5000, or Jim Dever Director, PR & Communications of SAP, +1-610-661-2161
