Brookshire tackles systems integration.

EAGER TO INCREASE ITS SYSTEMS INTEGRATION EFFORTS, BROOKSHIRE GROCERY CO. IS ADDING SAP'S MYSAP BUSINESS SUITE TO CONNECT OPERATIONS BETWEEN ITS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, MORE THAN 150 RETAIL LOCATIONS AND SIX MANUFACTURING FACILITIES.

BROOKSHIRE CHOSE SAP, A PROVIDER OF SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, TO STREAMLINE ITS OPERATIONS AND GAIN EFFICIENCIES ACROSS ITS ENTERPRISE. THE GROCER IS REPLACING ITS LEGACY SYSTEMS WITH AN INTEGRATED CORE SYSTEM COMPRISED OF MYSAP FINANCIAL, HUMAN RESOURCES, MANUFACTURING AND BUSINESS INFORMATION WAREHOUSE MODULES, BECAUSE EACH MODULE CONNECTS TO A CENTRALIZED DATABASE, BROOKSHIRE WILL ELIMINATE REDUNDANT DATA. THE SUITE WILL ALSO GIVE STORE MANAGERS ACCESS TO TIMELY, ACCURATE INFORMATION. AS A RESULT, EXECUTIVES CAN USE CURRENT INFORMATION TO BETTER MANAGE OPERATIONAL AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES. THE GROCER ANNOUNCED THE PROIECT DURING THE ANNUAL NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION CONVENTION IN NEW YORK.

THE GROCER WILL ADD THE TECHNOLOGY IN THREE PHASES. SOURCES AT SAP SAY IN 2004, BROOKSHIRE WILL ROLL OUT MYSAP'S FINANCIALS, AND IT WILL RUN ON THE BUSINESS INFORMATION WAREHOUSE. THE GROCER ALSO PLANS TO ADD SAP'S ENTERPRISE PORTAL NETWEAVER PLATFORM, WHICH WILL GIVE USERS A COMMON ONLINE LOCATION TO RETRIEVE AND VIEW DATA. THE HR AND PAYROLL MODULES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2005, AND THE SAP PROCESS MANUFACTURING MODULE WILL LAUNCH IN 2006, ACCORDING TO A SOURCE WITH SAP.