Global order for GK SOFTWARE AG: ESCADA chooses to work with GK/Retail
Schöneck, July 15, 2008 – GK SOFTWARE AG, a European technology leader in the development and provision of standard software solutions for the retail industry, has won ESCADA as a new key account. The international luxury goods group for designer women's fashion has selected GK SOFTWARE AG's GK/Retail as the solution to use in its branches. In future, GK/Retail will be used to control ESCADA stores on four continents – America, Europe, Asia and Australia. This means that GK SOFTWARE AG has gained another leading international retailer as a client and at the same time it has penetrated the luxury goods segment with its solutions. The new order will be reflected in revenues and earnings in particular when the implementation phase starts in fiscal year 2009.
- ESCADA stores in four continents will be equipped with GK/Retail
- GK SOFTWARE AG penetrates new, future-proof luxury segment
GK SOFTWARE AG once again won against its key competitors in an international tender. Hence, GK SOFTWARE has impressively proved its competitive advantages for technology, functionality and international use. ESCADA will use GK/Retail as a uniform global software solution in all of its stores. The solution will be rolled out at highly attractive locations in four continents such as New York, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo during the course of the project. The GK/Retail Storemanager will be used for the global management of the ESCADA branches. StoreWeaver will operate as the global data interface to connect all of the stores to the central SAP system.
Rainer Gläß, GK SOFTWARE AG's CEO: "We are very pleased to have acquired ESCADA – a top client in the highly attractive, high-growth luxury goods segment. Acquiring this key project confirms our consistent strategy that is geared to internationalization and developing new segments. We are sure that this global project will also set new standards."
About ESCADA
ESCADA is an international luxury fashion group for designer women's fashion. Since Margaretha and Wolfgang Ley formed the company in 1976 ESCADA has consistently increased the brand's international presence. The group now has more than 194 own stores and 226 franchise shops/corners in around 60 countries. ESCADA recorded revenues of EUR 461.1 million in 2006/2007.
About GK SOFTWARE AG
GK SOFTWARE AG is a European technology leader in the development and provision of standard software solutions for the retail industry. It supplies an end-to-end range of products for retail stores and company headquarters. The open and platform-independent software solutions of the GK/Retail Suite, which are fully programmed in JAVA, have allowed the company to establish itself on the market as a technology and innovation leader. The software allows retail chains to optimize their company's organization and to create significant potential for cost savings as well as to realize customer loyalty potential in order to increase competitiveness. The key features of the solutions are: international applicability, consistent use of open standards and SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) capability. As GK/Retail is genuine standard software, parameters can be used to make the necessary adjustments to meet most customer requirements. This reduces the programming effort and allows rapid project completion. At the same time, solutions for customers remain releasable and new functions can be introduced by a release change. A key component of the modular software is also the StoreWeaver integration platform, which connects all the subsystems in a retail store and also provides a powerful interface for enterprise systems such as ERP or CRM solutions.
The company currently employs 166 employees (as of
April 30, 2008) at its headquarters in Schöneck and at three other business
locations: Berlin, Pilsen in the Czech Republic and Basel/Riehen in
Switzerland. GK SOFTWARE AG can list
well-known German retail stores among its customers which include, for example,
Galeria Kaufhof, Parfümerie Douglas, EDEKA Hannover-Minden, Lidl, Netto
Markendiscount and Tchibo, as well as its first international customer Coop,
headquartered in Switzerland. The company’s software solutions are being used
in approximately 12,000 retail stores in over 50,000 installations in currently
22 countries worldwide. The company has grown quickly over the past few years
and its revenues reached EUR 10.7 million in 2007. The company’s EBIT amounted
to
EUR 2.3 million (EBIT margin of 21.7%). Since 1990, the two founders and Executive
Board members, Rainer Gläß (CEO) and Stephan Kronmüller (CTO), together with
the Executive Board members Ronald Scholz (COO) and André Hergert (CFO) have
grown GK SOFTWARE to become a fast-growing, profitable company.
For further information visit the company’s website www.gk-software.de.
Disclaimer
This publication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The public offer of securities of GK SOFTWARE AG, Schöneck, in Germany is completed.
This publication and the information contained therein is not for distribution or publication, neither directly nor indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan.
This publication does not constitute an offer for sale of any securities into the United States. Securities, including any shares of GK SOFTWARE AG, Schöneck, in the course of the offer, may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, US persons (as such term is defined in the Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933 as amended (the "Securities Act")) unless they are registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration. There will be no registration or public offer of any securities of GK SOFTWARE AG, Schöneck, in the United States.
Media
contact
Dr. René
Schiller
Leiter
Unternehmenskommunikation
GK SOFTWARE
AG
Friedrichstr.
204
10117
Berlin
Phone. :
+49 (0)37464-84264
Mobile: +49 (0)173-9513776
Fax: +49 (0)37464-8415
E-Mail: rschiller@gk-software.com
Investor relations contact
cometis AG
Ulrich Wiehle
Phone: +49 (0)611-205855-11
Fax: +49 (0)611-205855-66
E-mail:
wiehle@cometis.de
