Ingram Micro Delivers Logistics Horsepower to Retail Sector
November 17 2003 - 8:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
Ingram Micro Delivers Logistics Horsepower to Retail Sector Leading
IT Distributor Lends Supply Chain Expertise to Help Technology And
Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Compete More Effectively in the
Holiday Retail Race LAS VEGAS, COMDEX, Nov. 17
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The holiday shopping season has
officially begun, and Ingram Micro , a leading IT sales, marketing
and logistics company, announced today its supply chain solutions
are adding the horsepower needed for technology and consumer
electronics manufacturers to gain a competitive edge in this year's
race for holiday retail sales. Overall retail sales are expected to
rise 5 to 7 percent this year, according to the National Retail
Federation, and "major players are mobilizing to reap their share
of the upside," said Adam Levin, president of Levin Consulting, a
retail consulting firm focused on helping manufacturers and
retailers sell technology products. "Mastering the supply chain is
the name of the game for manufacturers selling to retail. Having
the flexibility to adapt to a retailer's unique packaging and
routing requirements is what you need to get in the game. IT
manufacturers win big when they use their supply chain as a
competitive weapon to gain market share and profits." "For more
than 20 years, Ingram Micro has had a solid track record of
delivering a complete solution of logistics, expert business
processes, marketing and financial management to the IT industry,"
says Kevin Murai, president, Ingram Micro North America. "We
understand the pain points and have engineered our systems to make
it easier to do business in the retail sector and help
manufacturers avoid lost sales and costly fees." Ingram Micro
provides a range of retail solutions to assist manufacturers,
including: * Order management, E-commerce connectivity -- the
product order is managed electronically and physically from the
point of service to the product's end destination. * Customized
packaging, labeling and gift wrap -- product "clam shelling" and
bundling for security and promotions, in addition to packaging
material and labels to reflect the manufacturer or online
retailer's own branding requirements. * Launch program management,
sales and marketing support -- dedicated sales, marketing and
logistics support for new product launches, greater shelf/Web
presence and market share growth with the retail sector. * Retail
routing guide compliance -- to ensure the manufacturer's products
are sent to the right retail store in the correct amount and
packaged according to the retailer's needs. * Credit and collection
services -- management of the purchase transaction between the
manufacturer and retailer, to collection of the funds. * Consigned
inventory management, virtual warehousing, product returns (reverse
logistics) and disposition services -- manufacturer-owned inventory
is stored and managed, returns are processed and credited back to
the manufacturer. "Ingram Micro Logistics offers valuable scale and
efficiency that most manufacturers can't get on their own," said
Bryan Moynahan, vice president and general manager, Ingram Micro
Logistics. "Supply chain management is our core competency. We
develop new systems and metrics that push the envelope on
performance and deliver a new level of retailer support. Ingram
Micro customizes our capabilities to deliver the customer
experience a manufacturer wants to convey around its products." For
example, Tapwave, a consumer electronics company, is working with
Ingram Micro Logistics to launch Zodiac, a new handheld mobile
entertainment console for gaming, playing MP3s, viewing photos or
videos and calendar and contact management, for the holiday season.
"By outsourcing the logistics to Ingram Micro, we don't have to
worry about managing the warehousing or fulfillment. Instead, we
can focus solely on understanding our customers and providing the
best possible product to meet their needs," said Peng Lim, co-
founder and CEO of Tapwave. Nova Development, a worldwide developer
and publisher of consumer graphics and personal productivity
products for Windows and Macintosh platforms, relies on Ingram
Micro Logistics for supply chain services to its retail direct
accounts as well as, order management, fulfillment and credit and
collections processing. "By using Ingram Micro's vast
infrastructure, we gain the skill and competency of a
retail-focused services provider," said Peter Washburn, director of
operations at Nova Development. "Building our own logistics
infrastructure and individual EDI connections with retail partners
would have diluted our core focus from what we do best." Case in
Point: A Return on Retail Efficiency After the holiday season, the
constant dilemma for retailers and manufacturers alike is the
inevitable product returns. These returns can increase supply chain
costs almost to the point of negating already pressured profit
margins. However, software giant Microsoft uses Ingram Micro to
ensure its product returns process is effortless. Since 1999,
Ingram Micro has provided logistics and customer management
services for Microsoft's U.S. retail and distribution partners,
improving the software giant's supply chain performance. Ingram
Micro Logistics consolidates and processes product returns on
behalf of Microsoft's Home and Entertainment Division for U.S.
retailers and distribution partners, handling credits, product
disposition and reporting back to Microsoft. "We're always looking
for new ways to enhance Microsoft's retail supply chain," said
Moynahan. Reporting and credit processing are seamlessly integrated
between the two companies and Microsoft's key retail customers.
Also, closed circuit cameras are used by Ingram Micro to verify
shipments and ensure a high level of security. This minimizes time
for pay-out to retailers and decreases costs to Microsoft
associated with the dispute resolution process. "Consolidation of
our retail returns program with Ingram Micro Logistics has given us
the economy of scale and expertise we need to better serve our
customers and manage costs," said Mike Quinn, general manager,
North America operations, Microsoft Home and Entertainment
Division. "Today, our reverse logistics process is more efficient
and exceeds our metrics for supply chain excellence." About Ingram
Micro Inc. As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram
Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and
resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics
services, technical support, financial services, and product
aggregation and distribution. The company serves 100 countries and
is the only global IT distributor with operations in Asia. Ranked
76 on the Fortune 500, Ingram Micro generated $22.5 billion in
revenues for fiscal year 2002. Visit
http://www.ingrammicro.com/corp . (C) 2003 Ingram Micro Inc. All
rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the registered Ingram Micro logo
are trademarks used under license by Ingram Micro Inc. The names of
actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners. DATASOURCE: Ingram Micro,
Inc. CONTACT: media, David Sims, ext. 854, , or Lisa Falcetti, ext.
871, , both of Benjamin | A Weber Shandwick Company,
+1-949-260-1300, for Ingram Micro, Inc.; or Marie Meoli of Ingram
Micro, Inc., +1-714-382-2190, Web site:
http://www.ingrammicro.com/corp
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