Manhattan Associates Launches SCALE 2010 in Australia

Fashion Biz becomes first Australian customer to reap rewards of Manhattan SCALE™ 2010 supply chain execution solution

SYDNEY – July 12, 2010 – Global supply chain optimisation provider Manhattan Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH) today announced the availability of SCALE 2010, the latest version of its execution-focused supply chain platform. Leading wholesaler, Fashion Biz (Aust) Pty Ltd has been confirmed as the first Australian customer to implement Manhattan SCALE 2010.
 
Manhattan SCALE (Supply Chain Architected for Logistics Execution) 2010 is a portfolio of distribution management solutions built on industry-standard Microsoft.NET® technology. By leveraging sophisticated optimisation techniques, Manhattan SCALE 2010 enables companies to tie together processes, data and workflows to improve supply chain operations. It helps deliver improved flow of goods, order accuracy and on time delivery though its inventory control and visibility features.
 
Manhattan SCALE (Supply Chain Architected for Logistics Execution) 2010 is a portfolio of distribution management solutions built on industry-standard Microsoft.NET® technology. By leveraging sophisticated optimisation techniques, Manhattan SCALE 2010 enables companies to tie together processes, data and workflows to improve supply chain operations. It helps deliver improved flow of goods, order accuracy and on time delivery though its inventory control and visibility features.
 
The 2010 release of Manhattan SCALE is ideal for fast-growing companies as it can be scaled up or down quickly to easily fit a given company’s precise distribution operation domestically and overseas or to match activity levels according to market and economic fluctuations.
 
"Manhattan SCALE 2010 has an unrivalled degree of configurability and offers enhanced supply chain intelligence, value added services, and labour management components,” said Chris Stephenson, Managing Director of Manhattan Associates in Australia and New Zealand.
 
"This powerful solution provides manufacturers, 3PLs and retailers with a sustainable competitive advantage. It enables companies to build world-class supply chains by helping them meet the ever-changing needs of customers across a wide range of industries. The enhanced quality control, better service quality, improved data accuracy and operational productivity improvements the solution facilitates all contribute to a fast return on investment," Stephenson added.
 
Fashion Biz is one of the largest suppliers of apparel, including quality uniforms, work wear and promotional apparel (stock service and made-to-order) to the Australasian market. Having originally established operations in the New Zealand market in 1989, the company has operated successfully in Australia for over a decade with distribution centres in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as, showrooms in Brisbane and third party distributorships in Perth and Adelaide.
 
Fashion Biz has worked with Manhattan Associates for the past three years, having implemented Manhattan ILS™: Integrated Logistics Solutions – now known as Manhattan SCALE – to replace the paper based system previously used by the company.
 
Commenting on the company’s decision to implement Manhattan SCALE 2010, Frank Fuller, National Operations Manager, Fashion Biz said, “Having enjoyed continued success with Manhattan Associates over the years, especially in terms of stock accuracy and improved picking and packing processes, we did not hesitate when considering an upgrade to the 2010 version of SCALE. We were in the process of upgrading our broader IT infrastructure and knew the time was right to take the next step. The product upgrade to Manhattan SCALE has proved relatively seamless and we are enjoying the improvement in functionality. The Melbourne site has been able to deliver record daily output since the upgrade”
 
Having just completed the implementation of Manhattan SCALE 2010 in its Melbourne distribution centre (DC), Fashion Biz plans to roll out the solution at its second Australian DC in Sydney in a few months.
 
"We are excited about reaping the continued benefits from the Manhattan SCALE 2010 solution,” said Fuller. “We chose Manhattan because of its specialisation in the area of supply chain optimisation. We knew it offered best-in-class solutions and the Manhattan team was able to demonstrate a clear understanding of our business objectives. The highly configurable and flexible nature of Manhattan SCALE really sets it apart from competitive offerings. We have enjoyed significant benefits to date both in terms of operational efficiency and productivity. Manhattan SCALE has empowered us to improve workflow and labour management and we are excited to see how far the latest version of the solution can take us.”
 
Key Features of Manhattan SCALE 2010

Manhattan SCALE 2010 adds a customisable desktop experience through small-specialised gadgets - applications that are designed to do simple tasks and can display data taken from the SCALE system or any other SQL Server database. This enables users to gain immediate access to key information they need right from their desktop. Workflow has also been added to the solution and so with RF Receiving check-in for example, functionality can now be manipulated, so that the user is able to view and define the functionality/screen flow via a graphical interface.
 
Manhattan SCALE 2010 also offers an expanded Supply Chain Intelligence (SCI) module by adding functional areas to the data warehouse including inbound, labour management, location inventory and wave. A new Statistics Window for managing a Wave for example displays summary-level statistics about a completed wave and includes information such as how many shipments were consolidated and rejected which can address quality control issues, and how many containers were created.
 
The enhanced Value Added Services component can now direct products to where additional processing can take place. Companies across the region can also benefit from the ability to place different shipments for different addresses onto a single shipping pallet saving large amounts of space at the shipper’s facility. The Labour Management module has been enhanced with a ‘heel-to-toe’ time tracking capability so that productive and non-productive time can be tracked for every employee on the warehouse floor.
 
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About Manhattan Associates
Manhattan Associates® continues to deliver on its 20-year heritage of providing global supply chain excellence to more than 1,200 customers worldwide that consider supply chain optimisation core to their strategic market leadership. The company’s supply chain innovations include: Manhattan SCOPE®, a portfolio of software solutions and technology that leverages a Supply Chain Process Platform to help organisations optimise their supply chains from planning through execution; Manhattan SCALE™, a portfolio of distribution management and transportation management solutions built on Microsoft.NET technology; and Manhattan Carrier™, a suite of supply chain solutions specifically addressing the needs of the motor carrier industry. For more information, please visit www.manh.com <http://www.manh.com> .