Turning data into Insight and Insight into Profit Improvement For Consumer Products Companies
NEW YORK, HOUSTON & MINNEAPOLIS, October 4, 2005 - Kurt Salmon Associates, Acorn Systems, and Arena Consulting Group announced the formation of a global alliance to deliver a comprehensive Profit Improvement solution. Kurt Salmon Associates is the Premier global solutions provider for Consumer Businesses and Healthcare, Acorn Systems is a best of breed provider of profit improvement via enterprise performance measurement, and Arena CG is a leading cost accounting and supply chain optimization solutions. Kurt Salmon Associates and Acorn Systems combined have dozens of RILA (Retail Industry Leaders Association) members as clients. The combined solution will pinpoint for customers where they are making and losing money and why across product skus, market baskets, stores, banners, customers or customer segments, vendors, supply chains and business processes, so that profit improvement action can be executed.
The three companies have entered into a strategic partnership to help consumer products companies improve performance. They are leveraging Acorn System's Microsoft-based, enterprise performance measurement solution that delivers unprecedented scalability and accuracy, combined with the Industry leading consulting of Kurt Salmon Associates and Arena Consulting Group.
Acorn Systems Profit AnalyzerT delivers accurate cost and profit insight to enable profit improvement initiatives by: · Leveraging existing data from across the enterprise, including ERP, CRM, Supply Chain Systems, Legacy Systems, Financial systems, and transaction systems. · Turning this data into actionable, auditable, and validated insight into cost, revenue, net profit, and organizational capacity across any desired dimension.
As retailers and manufacturers implement integrated approaches for meeting competitive pressures, many are finding a lack of comprehensive, accurate and timely Relationship Profitability information upon which to base supply chain decision making", said Jack Horst, Principal for KSA. "KSA's strategic partnership with Acorn Systems and Arena Consulting is aimed directly at this key gap, providing foundational data and actionable tactics leading to significant top line growth and expense reductions."
"The Retail/CPG market has already embraced the combined solution offering, as several leading Retailers have not only invested in the joint solution, but have also already gained insight into tens of millions of dollars in profit improvement value as a result", said Chris Fraga, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Alliances and Business Development for Acorn. "By combining Acorn's unique capabilities of accurate and sustained measurement with both Industry and Subject Matter Consulting expertise from Kurt Salmon Associates and Arena Consulting Group, we have created a powerful, profit-improvement solution that is tailor made for the specific needs of Retail and CPG Companies. From a value proposition point of view, time to value and risk are minimized for clients, while their profit improvement potential is multiplied".
Jack Haedicke commented on the partnership by saying, "Amongst ourselves we joke about the three legged stool. But, in reality, that's what this partnership represents. It's a blend of experience, supply chain expertise and best of breed software that assures our clients a solution that is tried and true."
ABOUT KURT SALMON ASSOCIATES
Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) is the premier global solutions provider focused exclusively on the retail, consumer products and health care industries. Celebrating 70 years of excellence, KSA helps clients achieve significant gains through strategic growth initiatives, superior product performance, and comprehensive enabling technologies. From concept to consumer, KSA's portfolio of services helps clients in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific achieve lasting, meaningful improvements that create true distinction in the marketplace.
ABOUT ACORN SYSTEMS
Acorn Systems provides continuous enterprise-wide visibility into business performance enabling profit improvement at a low total cost of ownership. Acorn delivers a solution that is verifiably accurate, auditable and actionable. Acorn Systems' solution is flexible and dynamic and provides a sustainable, scalable platform for Corporate Performance Management. Acorn Systems' clients come from Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods and many industries. For more information, visit www.acornsys.com or call 1-800-98Acorn.
ABOUT ARENA CONSULTING GROUP
Arena CG is an Eden Prairie, MN, based consulting firm specializing in cost accounting and supply chain optimization services. Arena blends depth of industry experience, advanced financial modeling capabilities and an unbiased third-party point of view to develop and deliver highly effective supply chain optimization and financial management solutions. Founded by Jack Haedicke in 2000, Arena counts amongst its client some of the largest CPG and Retail companies in the United States.