SPE.L Regulatory News (SPE)

16 Oct 2007 07:01

Sopheon PLC16 October 2007 Embargoed Release: 07:00hrs Tuesday 16 October 2007 Sopheon plc ('Sopheon') Beiersdorf Implements Sopheon System in Support of Product Innovation Strategy Accolade(R) Helps Skin Care Market Leader Integrate Management of Global Product Development Process Sopheon, the international software and services company, announced today thatBeiersdorf AG, a leading manufacturer of skin and beauty care products, hasdeployed Sopheon's Accolade product life cycle management (PLM) system tosupport the company's implementation of an enhanced, integrated process fordeveloping and launching new products. The solution is also being used tostrengthen product portfolio decision-making and reporting. Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1882 by pharmacist Carl Beiersdorf, Beiersdorf'soriginal product patents were for bandages and wound coverings. By the turn ofthe century, the company had expanded into consumer skin care and beautyproducts. Today Beiersdorf is a $7B global producer of regionally brandedconsumer goods with approximately 100 locations and more than 17,000 employees. The company has a reputation for strong customer and product focus, anorientation that has helped, for instance, make NIVEA(R) the best-selling bodycare brand in the world. Cosmetics is a highly competitive, global industry. It is also among thefastest-moving markets in the consumer goods sector. The life of a typicalcosmetic product is only about four years, which means that ongoing, rapidinnovation is a prerequisite to achieving sustained business growth. Beiersdorfis addressing this imperative as a core aspect of its consumer businessstrategy, labeled "Passion for Success." The strategy calls for the company tofocus on fewer but more significant innovations and deliver them to marketfaster. Beiersdorf has long regarded continuous improvement of its new productdevelopment processes as a key factor in maintaining brand superiority. Beiersdorf's adoption of Accolade has allowed the company to advance not onlyits processes for product creation, but its portfolio management capabilities aswell. One principal benefit of the system is that it has given thecross-functional teams engaged in product development across the Beiersdorforganization a common platform through which to access and share project data.The result has been greater transparency and an improved ability to track theprogress of projects in the developmental pipeline. Accolade has also helped toraise the efficiency and accuracy of portfolio reporting and strengthen thecompany's portfolio management and decision-making processes. Sopheon partners Sopheon Vertriebs GmbH and Sopheon Business Applications GmbHwere responsible for the sale, implementation and support of Accolade atBeiersdorf. Dieter Jaeger, chief executive officer of Sopheon Vertriebs GmbH,said, "Beiersdorf has commanded a top position in the international personalcare market for many years, and innovation-led product development has been ahallmark of their success. When we were introduced to Beiersdorf, they alreadyhad in place a standardized, global product development process anchored in bestpractices. With Accolade, we were able to give them a single, user-friendlysoftware system that integrated the management of that process with portfoliomanagement and comprehensive decision-support. Beiersdorf chose Accoladebecause it could match their specific, demanding process requirements. Theyhave subsequently embraced it because it has proven that it helps to ensuresuperior process performance." Accolade(R) is a registered trademark of Sopheon plc. NIVEA(R) is a registered trademark of Beiersdorf AG. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. About Beiersdorf AG Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1882 as a small pharmacy, Beiersdorf has grown tobecome a global company of branded consumer goods with approximately 100affiliates. Since its founding, Beiersdorf has concentrated on skin and beautycare. Beiersdorf is focused on dynamic regions that have above-averagedevelopmental potential, including Asia, South America and Eastern Europe.Beiersdorf is particularly focused on China, Russia, Brazil and India.Beiersdorf products include NIVEA(R), Eucerin(R), Curad(R), Labello(R), 8x4(R),JUVENA(R), la prairie(R), atrix(R) and FUTURO(R). For more information, pleasevisit www.beiersdorf.com. About Sopheon Sopheon (LSE:SPE) is an international provider of software and services thathelp organizations improve the business impact of product innovation. Sopheon'ssolutions automate and govern the innovation process, enabling companies toincrease revenue and profits from new products. Sopheon is listed on the AIMMarket of the London Stock Exchange and on the Euronext in the Netherlands. Formore information, please visit www.sopheon.com. - Ends - For further information contact: Barry Mence, Chairman Sopheon plc Tel : + 44 (0) 1483 685 735Arif Karimjee, CFOAndrew Tan Hansard Tel : + 44 (0) 207 245 1100 + 44 (0) 7957 203 685Floor van Maaren Citigate First Financial Tel : + 31 (0) 205 754 010 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange