Cactus GDS Accelerator for BizTalk Server 2004 keeps Energizer’s supply chain going, and going...
Cactus announces general availability and significant customer support for its flagship product
ORLANDO, FL & OTTAWA, Canada — [October 27, 2004] — Cactus Commerce Inc., a provider of e-business software and services for trading partner integration, today announced the general market availability of Cactus GDS Accelerator for BizTalk Server 2004. Energizer Battery, Inc, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries and flashlights, is now using Cactus GDS Accelerator to achieve global data synchronization compliance with its retail customers.
Cactus GDS Accelerator for BizTalk Server 2004 allows companies to quickly and easily connect to UCCnet™ and the Global Registry, and integrate accurate real-time data into existing management systems. Global data synchronization (GDS) is widely recognized as a necessity before full advantage can be taken of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in the supply chain. Cactus’ GDS software utilizes Internet technologies, making it affordable, scalable and easy to implement.
Energizer, an early adopter of Cactus GDS Accelerator, is now using the technology in production and has quickly achieved global data synchronization of their merchandizing items with customers such as Wegmans, in accordance with required compliance mandates.
"Energizer has successfully deployed Cactus GDS Accelerator for BizTalk Server 2004," said John Thompson, project manager, Energizer Holdings. "As a solution that makes effective use of our existing Microsoft platform, Cactus GDS Accelerator has enabled Energizer to quickly and easily meet the global data synchronization compliance mandate, without having to invest in any additional software or hardware."
According to AT Kearney, a global management consulting firm, 30 percent of information provided by manufacturers to retailers is inaccurate, resulting in an estimated cost to the industry of $40 billion annually. Global data synchronization presents manufacturers and retailers with a unique opportunity to gain rapid, positive, quantifiable results and is the first step toward maximizing their investments in technologies such as RFID, as well as collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR).
"We are very excited to be working with companies like Energizer to help meet their global data synchronization requirements," said Pierre Deschamps, Executive Vice President, Cactus Commerce. "Manufacturing and retail businesses across the world are making efforts to achieve effective global data synchronization in order to prepare for a widespread move towards RFID, and to meet mandates set by large retailers such as Wal-Mart. It is Cactus’ aim to help these companies achieve their synchronization goals as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible."
"We are pleased to see Cactus’ continued use of Microsoft technology with its GDS Accelerator for BizTalk Server 2004," said Chris Colyer, global process industry manager, Manufacturing Industry Unit at Microsoft. "The powerful enterprise integration capabilities of BizTalk Server 2004 paired with Cactus’ e-business software will enable customers to reap the benefits of global data synchronization, which not only include better, faster communication, but also a reduction in out-of-stock percentage, logistics cost and a faster time to market."
With its GDS Accelerator, Cactus Commerce demonstrates a valuable solution for the manufacturing and retail industries. The solution is inline with Microsoft’s Smarter Retailing Initiative (SRI), a comprehensive solutions framework for enabling the next generation of retail innovation. It concentrates on one of SRI’s key areas, Smarter Operations, which is designed to offer increased efficiency by providing real-time visibility into the metrics that drive profitability. This includes tools to easily manage the adoption of transforming technologies such as GDS and RFID.
Cactus will appear in the Microsoft booth at the 2004 Consumer Goods Technology Conference in Orlando – October 26-29, 2004. Cactus also is sponsoring the Microsoft EMEA Conference in Barcelona – November 4-5, 2004, as well as the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Innovation and Exports 2004 Conference in Montreal on November 17. Pierre Deschamps will be a featured speaker at a number of these events, providing insight into how global data synchronization builds the foundation for successful RFID deployments.
About Cactus Commerce
Cactus Commerce Inc. is an e-business software and services provider dedicated to helping organizations of all sizes bring more efficiency to their complex business processes. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Cactus works closely with partners to develop and deliver rapidly deployed, cost-effective and extensible Trading Partner Integration (TPI) solutions that address the three critical components of e-commerce – to connect, to trade and to settle. Cactus complements its packaged software offerings with an array of professional services and unique industry expertise, enabling companies to take full advantage of their existing and future technology investments, such as RFID. For more information, please visit www.cactuscommerce.com
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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