16 May 2007 08:18
Immediate Release: Wednesday 16 May 2007
Sopheon Plc (`Sopheon') SABMiller plc Taps Sopheon to Power Global Innovation Process Initiative International BrewerWill DeployAccolade‚® to StandardizeProduct Innovation Process andStrengt hen Portfolio Decision-making
Sopheon, the international software and services company, is pleased to announce that SABMiller plc will deploy Sopheon's Accolade product life cycle management system to support the company's new standardized process for managing initiatives within the business. The new process is part of a broad strategy aimed at improving knowledge sharing and product pipeline management across SABMiller's operating hubs around the globe.
The South African Breweries (SAB) was founded in 1885. In 2002, after acquiring the Miller Brewing Company, the second largest beer maker in the U.S., the enlarged group changed its name to SABMiller plc. The company produces more than 200 brands, with brewing interests and distribution agreements in over 60 countries across five continents. It has annual revenues of over $15 billion. SABMiller's product line includes premium international beers such as Miller Genuine Draft‚®, Peroni‚® and Pilsner Urquell‚®, as well as dozens of market-leading regional varieties. It is also one of the world's largest bottlers of Coca-Cola‚® and other soft drinks.
SABMiller's selection of Sopheon's Accolade system followed an evaluation process involving seven suppliers. The reasons Accolade was chosen included its ease-of-use, embedded best-practice content, strong alignment with Stage-Gate‚® methodology, and the speed with which it can be deployed. Another advantage of the Sopheon offering that SABMiller valued was its tight integration with Microsoft Office‚® applications such as Excel and Word already in broad use within the company.
"SABMiller's organic growth depends upon the creation of strong, locally driven brand portfolios," said Neil MacGilp, group technical director at SABMiller. "Accolade will help us overcome the challenges of our decentralized approach to innovation across regional hubs. In addition to giving us an efficient, unified process structure, the system's features will guard against duplication of effort and allow cross-functional teams responsible for product innovation to more easily share their knowledge. Its capacity to aggregate regional data will provide corporate executives with essential support in making strategic portfolio decisions. Accolade gives us a common, coherent way of looking at innovation, and a more effective way of making it happen."
While SABMiller's new process will be focused primarily on managing product development, it will also support other types of initiatives.
Nigel Cordery, European director for Sopheon, said,
"Through implementation of its Accolade-supported initiative management system, SABMiller is positioning itself to raise its already prolific product innovation capabilities to a new level. We're excited by the opportunity to be a partner in this process."
Accolade‚® is a registered trademark of Sopheon plc.
Miller Genuine Draft‚® is a registered trademark of the Miller Brewing Company.
Peroni‚® is a registered trademark of Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
Pilsner Urquell‚® is a registered trademark of Pizensky Prazdroj.
Coca-Cola‚® is a registered trademark of the Coca-Cola Company.
Stage-Gate‚® is a registered trademark of the Product Development Institute.
Microsoft Office‚® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the sole
property of their respective owners.
About SABMiller
SABMiller plc is one of the world's largest brewers with brewing interests or distribution agreements in over 60 countries across six continents. The group's brands include premium international beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Miller Genuine Draft and Peroni Nastro Azzurro, as well as an exceptional range of market leading local brands. SABMiller plc is listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. For more information, please visit www.sabmiller.com
About Sopheon
Sopheon is an international provider of software and services that help organizations improve the business impact of product innovation. Sopheon's Accolade system automates and governs the innovation process, enabling companies to increase revenue and profits from new products. Sopheon is listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange and on the Euronext in the Netherlands. For more information, please visit www.sopheon.com
For further information contact:
Barry Mence, Chairman Sopheon plc Tel : + 44 (0) 1483 685 735 Arif Karimjee, CFO Sarah Wharry, Nominated Seymour Pierce Limited Tel: +44 (0) 207 107 8000 Adviser Andrew Tan Hansard Group Tel : + 44 (0) 207 245 1100 + 44 (0) 7957 203 685 Floor van Maaren Citigate First Financial Tel : + 31 (0) 205 754 010
SOPHEON PLC