Retail News Update

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing is strengthening its position in the consumer products and retail sector by working with some of the world’s best known retail brands to support their business transformations. A New contract has been entered into with Maxeda, while successful projects have been completed for Albert Heijn, Beam Global and Wickes.

In the Netherlands, Capgemini has been selected to manage the IT activities for Maxeda, the largest non-food retailer in the Netherlands. This five-year Outsourcing agreement is for both infrastructure and application management services. The purpose of this agreement is to help Maxeda in achieving its international growth objectives. Tony DeNunzio, Chairman of the Board of Maxeda, stated: “Transferring our activities to Capgemini means that we now have a collaborator with true global expertise and experience, which helps us to achieve our international growth objectives. Moreover, outsourcing our IT activities is consistent with Maxeda’s strategy, which is to concentrate more on our core business which is retail. Another benefit is that the transfer has opened up new career opportunities for our IT staff.”

Also in Outsourcing in the Netherlands, Capgemini helped supermarket chain Albert Heijn, the market leader in the grocery business in the country, to improve its supply chain through responsiveness to customer behaviour, a high level of automation and cost control. According to Tony Vendrig, VP Supply Chain, Albert Heijn: “A true collaborator, Capgemini supported the replenishment project with excellent people in important roles. Capgemini brought in the right IT and retail knowledge, but even more importantly, the right skills and attitude. This determined the actual success.”

For Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. in North America, the world’s fourth largest spirits company, Capgemini has used its full breadth of transformational consulting capabilities to re–engineer Beam Global’s international operations providing improved synergies and growth enablement. Beam selected the SAP Business Suite as its global ERP platform and Capgemini US LLC drove the technology transformation with an onsite team at Beam’s offices in Chicago, supported by key functions through a global delivery model.“Beam Global now has an IT platform and business processes that match the globally interconnected nature of our business. Capgemini and SAP were instrumental in helping us to achieve that,” said Keith McLeod, Chief Information Officer, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.

Finally, in the United Kingdom, Capgemini has been awarded a 100% rating for all key success criteria at the conclusion of an 18 month IT outsourcing contract with UK-based DIY company, Wickes. The purpose of the contract was to ensure top quality service whilst all of Wickes’ IT systems were migrated to a new site. Under the agreement, Capgemini UK plc was responsible for maintaining computer operations and technical support for all core IT systems including stock-control, daily store polling and support for all 180 Wickes stores across the UK. Graham Malpas, Service Delivery Manager of Wickes’ parent company Travis Perkins, said: “The leadership and management provided by Capgemini was outstanding and was a major factor in keeping services at peak levels, retaining key staff and maintaining staff morale, eliminating risks and helping us ensure a smooth migration.”

Brian Girouard, Leader of Capgemini’s Global Consumer Products and Retail Sector, said: “Being chosen by these four consumer products and retail companies is further evidence of Capgemini’s ability to integrate innovative business processes by leveraging emerging technologies to help our clients meet their own strategic objectives.”