O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. Selects Evant Enterprise Information Management

Aftermarket Auto Parts Retailer to Leverage Evant Solution as Foundational Enterprise Data Repository and Synchronization Platform for New Initiatives

SAN FRANCISCO, May 18 -- Evant, the leading provider of multi-channel planning and advanced replenishment solutions, announced today that O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. has selected, and is in the process of deploying Evant Enterprise Information Management (EIM) to serve as the foundational platform for its enterprise data registry and data synchronization initiatives with key suppliers.

Evant EIM is a multi-channel enterprise data platform that enables retailers, wholesalers and distributors to establish a single, integrated system of record for all platform categories, including product, location, time period, vendor and customer. In addition to these capabilities, O'Reilly selected Evant EIM for its ability to manage and process the new Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES), the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association data standard. With the PIES specification, resellers are able to automatically receive and load product data into EIM, review and approve it there, and then have it automatically interfaced to O'Reilly's merchandising, replenishment and warehousing systems.

"Evant EIM will not only enable synchronization of our product data, but also provide the foundation for a new data management infrastructure we are investing in to support future eCommerce and business process transformation initiatives," said Mike Williams, vice president of advanced technologies for O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

The O'Reilly implementation of Evant EIM will synchronize its data with a key auto parts supplier. Once complete, the companies will begin transmitting new and changed product information to Evant EIM via a software program O'Reilly developed called The PartnerShip Network. The program is similar to a secure FTP service that contains intelligent routing between sender and receiver. In addition, O'Reilly expects the following business benefits:

  -- Reduced product stock outs
  -- Reduced inventory levels and inventory carrying costs
  -- Reduced freight costs
  -- Reduced merchandising, finance, warehouse and store staff time spent on
     administrative tasks and in managing exceptions

"We applaud O'Reilly for its foresight to take a holistic view of all its future requirements for enterprise data, and deploy a next-generation solution to serve as the foundation to support them," Mike Matacunas, vice president of product strategy for Evant. "Our work with O'Reilly is consistent with findings across the industry, which indicates that typical product information management software is not up for this task. Instead, large companies require a solution to manage all mission-critical data in the same repository, which also includes information on vendor, customer, location and time period."

With Evant EIM, companies can integrate mission-critical enterprise systems through a centralized data repository that acts as a "clearing house," ensuring data accuracy. Evant EIM also creates a single version of the truth with minimal impact on the way people work and the tools they use. The "true" data is delivered to relevant enterprise systems via an event-driven messaging and alert framework. Evant EIM gives companies many competitive advantages, including:

  -- Faster time to market with products and promotions
  -- Reduced supply chain costs of up to 1-3%* (Cap Gemini)
  -- Significantly fewer purchase order errors
  -- Ability to support multi-channel operations -- catalog, web, direct,
     store
  -- Capability to share data with trusted suppliers and collaborators
  -- Ability to perform data synchronization through both PIES and UCCnet

  About O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. Founded in 1957 by the O'Reilly family, the Company operated 1,132 stores within the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia as of March 31, 2004.

About Evant, Inc.

Evant is leading the world's top multi-channel retailers, wholesalers and distributors into the new technological age by providing merchandising, replenishment and data synchronization software that frees up millions of dollars in working capital and enables greater competitive advantage. Clients such as Staples, O'Reilly Automotive, United Stationers, Camping World and AmerisourceBergen and Edgepark Surgical choose Evant for its best-of-breed solutions that are based on the industry's most advanced science delivered on the IBM iSeries and J2EE platforms. The company is privately held and is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.evant.com.