SPE.L Regulatory News (SPE)

16 Nov 2010 07:00

Embargoed Release: 07:00hrs, Tuesday 16th November 2010

SOPHEON PLC ("Sopheon" or the "Company") Contract with Almarai Marks Sopheon's Expansion to Gulf Region

Sopheon, the international software and services company, announced today that Riyadh-based Almarai, the Middle East's largest producer of dairy, fruit juice and bakery products, has selected Sopheon's Accolade solution. Almarai will deploy the Sopheon system among users in research and development, business-line management, marketing and finance. It is the first Saudi Arabian manufacturer to adopt the software. The sale follows Sopheon's decision in 2009 to extend its business development efforts to the Gulf Region.

"We are implementing Accolade as the standard for innovation process and portfolio management across the company," said Malcolm Jordan, general manager of quality and product development at Almarai. "As competition increases, our ability to maintain a position of market leadership depends upon sustained product diversification and innovation. Accolade will give us a clear view of what's in our portfolio pipeline, and provide the analytical support needed to make the right project choices to deepen our differentiation and consistently meet the needs and tastes of our consumers. In effect, it will allow Almarai to de-risk product innovation as a strategic component of its plans for continued, aggressive growth."

In a recent KPMG survey of global food and beverage manufacturers, 89% of the participating senior executives said that product innovation would be one of the top drivers of their company's near- to mid-term growth.

For further details of these developments see www.sopheon.com

For further information contact:

Barry Mence, Chairman Sopheon plc Tel : + 44 (0) 1483 685 735 Arif Karimjee, CFO Sopheon plc Tel : + 44 (0) 1483 685 735 Justine James / Hansard Communications Tel : + 44 (0) 20 7245 1100Kirsty Corcoran Floor van Maaren Citigate First Financial Tel : + 31 (0) 205 754 010 Catherine Leftley / Seymour Pierce Corporate Tel: +44 (0) 20 7107 8000 Sarah Jacobs / Finance Richard RedmayneAbout Almarai

Almarai is the largest integrated dairy foods company in the world, with a reputation for quality that is world-class. The company is committed to healthy living, and to delivering only the freshest and most delicious products to the people they care most about -- their consumers. Almarai began in 1976 under the leadership of HH Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer, as it remains to this day. The company is based in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Almarai Company network extends throughout the Arabian Peninsula, leading and influencing the food industry. For more information, please visit www.almarai.com.

About Sopheon

Sopheon is an international provider of software and services that help organisations improve the business impact of product innovation. Sopheon's solutions automate and govern the innovation process, enabling companies to increase revenue and profits from new products. Sopheon's solutions are used by industry leaders throughout the world, including BASF, Burger King, Corning, Electrolux, Honeywell, Motorola and SABMiller. 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.