IBM Enters Procurement Services Transformation Initiative Agreement With Unilever North America2 March 2006
IBM today announced the signing of an agreement
to transform and manage strategic sourcing and procurement operations of
indirect materials and services for Unilever's North American operations.
The 5-year agreement commences immediately, with anticipated transition
completed by June 1, 2006.
"Companies such as Unilever are increasingly looking for a new kind of
managed procurement relationship with IBM that helps them to optimize
business process performance and deliver bottom line business value," said
John Paterson, chief procurement officer, IBM Integrated Supply Chain.
"Utilizing the same assets, methodologies and analytical tools that reduced
IBM's own procurement costs by more than $6.5 billion, we are uniquely
positioned to provide value to clients with any type of supply chain
transformation."
In addition to improving cost efficiency, IBM will work with Unilever North
America to optimize procurement processes and deploy industry-leading
analytics tools and process methodologies. IBM will also leverage its
technology expertise and network of procurement transformation centers of
excellence which already manage optimized procurement processes for several
IBM customers worldwide.
Simply put, the procurement of many of the products and services that
Unilever North America uses to run its business, from office equipment to
travel, to IT equipment to utilities, will be handled by IBM. "We will get
access to the expertise and technology strengths of IBM to further
streamline our processes and improve efficiencies," said Greg Polcer,
Unilever Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, NA. "IBM's management of our
non-production items will further free Unilever in North America to focus
resources and energy around business activities that are more consumer and
customer facing to add more value and drive growth."
About Unilever
Unilever (NYSE: UL), (NYSE: UN), one of the world's largest consumer
products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs
for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world,
consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The
company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and
get more out of life.
In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe,
"all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree,
Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise,
Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the
preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of
Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we
live, work and play, Unilever has 230,000 employees in almost 100 countries
and generated annual sales of $50 billion in 2004. In the United States,
Unilever employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing
sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating approximately $10 billion
in sales in 2004. For more information visit www.unilever.com or
www.unileverusa.com.
About IBM Business Consulting Services
With consultants and professional staff in more than 160 countries
globally, IBM Business Consulting Services is the world's largest
consulting services organization. IBM Business Consulting Services provides
clients with business transformation and industry expertise, and the
ability to translate that expertise into integrated, responsive, on-demand
business solutions and services that deliver bottom-line business value.
Over the past several years, IBM Business Consulting Services has developed
industry-leading transformation consulting skills and delivery capabilities
in key areas, including Human Resources, Financial Management, Customer
Relationship Management and Procurement. For more information, visit
http://www.ibm.com.
SAFE HARBOUR STATEMENT: This announcement may contain forward-looking
statements, including 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of
the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words
such as 'expects', 'anticipates', 'intends' or the negative of these terms
and other similar expressions of future performance or results and their
negatives are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and
assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting
Unilever. They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future
performance. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements, including, among others, competitive pricing
and activities, consumption levels, costs, the ability to maintain and
manage key customer relationships and supply chain sources, currency
values, interest rates, the ability to integrate acquisitions and complete
planned divestitures, physical risks, environmental risks, the ability to
manage regulatory, tax and legal matters and resolve pending matters within
current estimates, legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments,
political, economic and social conditions in the geographic markets where
the Unilever operates and new or changed priorities of the Unilever Boards
of Directors. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties
affecting Unilever are described in Unilever's filings with the London
Stock Exchange, Euronext Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange
Commission, including the Annual Report & Accounts on Form 20-F. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement.
Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, Unilever expressly
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or
revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any
change in Unilever's expectations with regard thereto or any change in
events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
CONTACT:
Jenny Galitz
IBM Media Relations
646-598-4551
galitz@us.ibm.com
SOURCE: IBM
Source: marketwire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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