16 October 2005

DUBAI-- SAP, one of the leading provider of business software solutions, has announced accelerated revenue growth for the SAP Retail Industry Solutions. These processes include distribution, transportation and logistics, inventory visibility, financial transparency, compliance and point-of-sales data management.

The booming retail industry across the Middle-East region has selected SAP to improve their business processes and create a strong and adaptive environment for business growth and profitability. The retail corporations includes Emke Group, ETA Ascon, Spinneys, Batha Group, and Easa Saleh Al-Gurg Group  which have chosen SAP solutions to enhance their critical business processes.

Emke Group chose SAP's suite of enterprise applications and retail-specific software across its 50 retail outlets for the Gulf region, powering the company's retail processes of direct selling to consumers.

Madhava Rao, Group IT Manager at Emke Group of Companies, said:   "We selected SAP for its proven retail expertise, and regional solution scope. SAPTM NetWeaver platform is helping us improve our key processes, enabling us to drive competitiveness throughout our outlets and, ultimately, deliver better service to our customers."

Ghassan Darri, Sales Manager, SAP Arabia, said:  "By leveraging SAP's retail solutions, companies can use a services-based approach to more flexibly respond to changing business needs. This further solidifies SAP's position as a dominant force in this market, dedicated to helping our customers leverage IT for agility and competitive advantage."

Darri continues: "In an industry faced with the daily pressures on margins, performance and the bottom line, SAP offers retailers proven solutions to succeed today and customer-focused innovation to adapt to the changing industry landscape of the Middle-East market."

SAP was one of the largest exhibitors at Gitex 2005 with several business partners including CIC, Seal, CA, Sun, Axon, Siemens, Satyam, Sugar, and HP.

While information will be available on the wide array of SAP solutions for nearly 27 vertical markets, SAP specific focus topics at Gitex 2005  included its solutions for the mid-market / SMB segments.

SAP has continued evidence of its global leadership in providing retail solutions, demonstrating leadership and vision for the retail industry in the MENA region for the past one year.

BY A STAFF REPORTER

© Khaleej Times 2005