Edifice Expands POS Reporting and Supplier Collaboration Services to Europe
Expansion Highlights Strategic Importance of EU Market for Edifice Customers
RIVERDALE, NJ - Dec. 8, 2008 - Edifice Information Management, an information services company specializing in the collection, analysis and distribution of demand data used by retailers and suppliers to improve supply-chain efficiencies, today announced the opening of its European office. Located in London, this international expansion site is designed to meet the demands of the company's existing customer base in Europe while further supporting customers' growth initiatives in that market.
The European market, which is made up of 500 million consumers, is of great strategic importance to global suppliers. Although Edifice already had been working with a number of European retailers - including JD Sports Fashion, SportScheck, Stadium, El Corte Ingles, Karstadt and Kaufhof - this expansion will accelerate Edifice's ability to establish relationships with hundreds of retailers, making the value of POS-based retail analysis even more attractive to global suppliers.
"Our customers are now in an even better position to increase sales, optimize inventory and reduce costs in the European market by gaining visibility into the same POS data and by leveraging the same retail analysis principles they have been accustomed to in the U.S. for years," said David Pesce, vice president of business intelligence, Edifice Information Management. "As the only POS reporting service provider with both a U.S. and European presence in the sporting goods, department store and home specialty sectors, we're now uniquely positioned to add value to U.S.-based suppliers doing business in Europe or looking to expand there."
"This expansion will allow us to more rapidly develop the retailer relationships that are of great strategic importance to our supplier customers," said Todd Paulus, business intelligence manager - global, Edifice Information Management. "In fact, we're already working on a number of initiatives with key retailers - everything from basic EDI data sharing to expanded partnerships where robust supply chain and financial metrics are used for dashboard reporting."
"Our utilization of POS information and Edifice services in the U.S. has allowed Columbia Sportswear to have more informed discussions with our retailers," said Bryan Leach, sell-through program manager, Columbia Sportswear. "As such, we are able to collaborate more efficiently and deliver the products consumers want, when they want them. With Edifice expanding even further into Europe, we have already begun applying similar analysis processes, and we are looking forward to using the insights from that analysis to work more effectively with our European-based retailers."
Over the past few months, Edifice has been working closely with customers to define EU reporting requirements and to determine which European retailers could benefit most from a collaborative relationship. The company will also be working to upgrade and internationalize its reporting services, as well as translate and customize literature and other marketing materials to the individual European countries served.
Retailers and suppliers interested in learning more about how they could benefit from this expansion should contact Todd Paulus, director of business intelligence - global, Edifice Information Management, at +1 973-616-2929 or tpaulus@edificeinfo.com.
About Edifice Information Management
Edifice is an information services company specializing in the collection, analysis and distribution of point-of-sale (POS) data used by retailers and suppliers to improve supply chain efficiency. Through our POS reporting, analysis training and support services, we enable retailers and suppliers to work from a common data set to quickly identify opportunities for increasing sales, optimizing inventory and reducing costs. Our broad industry perspective - which includes apparel, footwear, sporting goods, home goods, cosmetics and home improvement - allows us to help both large and small companies realize the benefits of POS-based retail analysis.
About Columbia Sportswear Company
Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia Sportswear Company is a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel and footwear. As one of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world and a leading seller of skiwear in the United States, the company has developed an international reputation for quality, performance, functionality and value. The company manages a portfolio of outdoor brands including Columbia Sportswear, Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, Pacific Trail, and Sorel. To learn more about Columbia, please visit the company's website at http://www.columbia.com.