GNX launches CPFR program with German retail giant Metro

GlobalNetXchange, a global online retail exchange, announced that it has launched a Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment program with German retailer Metro AG. The first phase of the program, which GNX claims is the largest single CPFR program, involves collaboration with nine suppliers on about 500 products at more than 50 locations. GNX plans to have 10 supplier partners on board by the end of the year. Current manufacturers working with Metro on the program include Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Colgate Palmolive, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, Lever Faberge, SCA Hygiene, Philips and Gerolsteiner. The GNX CPFR platform will facilitate the exchange of sales, inventory, forecast, service level and promotional data between Metro1s head office, warehouse and stores and their supplier counterparts.

"In Metro’s initial CPFR implementation with P&G, the Cash & Carry division was able to improve forecast accuracy by 46% and reduce warehouse inventory levels by as much as two weeks," Zygmunt Mierdorf, a Metro AG board member, said in a statement released by GNX.

GNX also introduced complete data integration functionality to enable automated data loading from the CPFR platform back into retailer and supplier legacy systems. Metro says automatically loading data back into its systems helps cut down on administrative and data analysis.

Metro also is using GNX’s Market Manager module to manage all of the weekly promotional campaigns, which is the focus of the collaboration for the Cash & Carry store division.