Agentrics Teams with Nomura Research Institute to Build Japanese National Registry for Retailer-Supplier Data Synchronization.

Key to Embracing 'Rising Sun 2007' Initiative, Japanese National Registry To Usher In New Era of End-to-End Data Alignment

TOKYO -- Agentrics, a leading provider of sourcing, collaboration and product lifecycle management solutions for the world's largest retailers and suppliers, today announced it has partnered with Tokyo-based Nomura Research Institute Ltd. (NRI) to build the Japanese National Registry (JNR) under an agreement with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  (METI). The JNR will serve as a national registry of product information to support item-data sharing between local retailers, wholesalers and suppliers.

"The Japanese National Registry represents a significant national milestone as it will enable more effective trading among Japanese retailers and suppliers by addressing specific local-market requirements for reliable and effective data exchange," said Nihat Arkan, Agentrics senior vice president of global customer management and services. "Agentrics will leverage its vast experience supporting country-level retail requirements to deliver and promote the benefits of data synchronization while remaining consistent with GDS standards. NRI is a valuable partner in furthering this local, yet global, approach."

Agentrics will provide development, consulting and training as it teams with NRI, a leading consulting firm and systems integrator, to deliver the solution. The project includes making enhancements to NRI's global data synchronization (GDS) module, which will enable local data pools to exchange Japanese item attributes in a standards-compliant manner.

The JNR was commissioned by METI to meet the unique needs of the country's multi-tiered supply chain comprised of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. It addresses data synchronization business processes and local attribute requirements to better support Japanese trade. The JNR also supports the Japanese government's Rising Sun 2007 initiative, which is focused on increasing the adoption of data synchronization by driving standards compliance among the country's major industry players.

"The Japanese market has exacting needs, and Agentrics and NRI will lead the effort to build the framework and solicit broad participation by enabling trading partners to integrate their existing commercial relationships and processes into the GDS framework, rather than change their business model to fit with GDS," said Tadashi Tsuji, NRI chief consultant and general manager of business innovation consulting. "The JNR will play a critical role in the local supply chain as it promotes data sync participation, a key aim of Rising Sun 2007."

Atsunobu Agata, senior vice president of information technology for Aeon, the nation's largest grocer and second-largest retailer, is excited by the possibilities of broader data synchronization, especially as they relate to data integrity. "Any retailer-supplier relationship is productive only to the level of its data quality," he said. "Agentrics has proven across the world that a localized, yet standards-based, solution will drive more effective supplier relationships that ultimately will benefit consumers thanks to supply chain alignment. The JNR and Rising Sun 2007 initiative will go far to increase local adoption and help us all keep product information up-to-date and accurate, for the sake of providing better services to our customers."

About Agentrics

Agentrics serves as the trusted agent for the retail and consumer goods industry by assisting retailers, manufacturers and their trading partners with optimizing shared business processes to more effectively serve the consumer. Our customers rely on Agentrics' product offerings, unique practical forums and deep domain expertise to drive real business results. In the last six years, Agentrics has generated more than $2 billion in cost savings for our customers by partnering with them on the development and effective use of our technology and services.

Agentrics serves over 250 customers, including 17 of the world's top 25 retailers, in sourcing, supply chain collaboration, global data synchronization and product lifecycle management. Customers include Aeon, Ahold USA, Auchan, Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Carrefour, Casino, Chedraui, Coles Myer, Coop Italia, Coop Switzerland, CVS/pharmacy, Dairy Farm, Dansk Supermarked Gruppen, Delhaize Group, Diageo, El Corte Ingles, Food Lion, GlaxoSmithKline, Izumiya, KarstadtQuelle, Kesa, Kesko Food Ltd., Kingfisher, Kroger, Lotte, Makro Asia, Makro S.A., Manor, Markant, Marks & Spencer, Metro Group, Migros, Modelo Continente Hipermercados, S.A., Panasonic, PPR, Publix, REWE Group, Royal Ahold, Safeway, Sainsbury's, SCA Hygiene Products, Sears Canada, Sears Holdings Corp., Shopko, Smart and Final, Tesco, and Walgreen's.

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