Guide Corporation Completes Timely Roll Out of New IT Infrastructure with QAD Applications
30 November 2000
Guide Corporation Completes Timely Roll Out of New IT Infrastructure with QAD Applications
CARPINTERIA, Calif.--Nov. 30, 2000--Largest Automotive Lighting Manufacturer in North America Receives
QAD Rapid Achiever Award for On-Time, Under Budget Implementation
without Interrupting Business
QAD , an e-business innovator for manufacturers, distributors and exchanges, today announced that Guide Corporation, the largest independent North American manufacturer of automotive lighting systems, has received QAD's Rapid Achiever Award for successfully completing a timely roll out of a completely new IT infrastructure with QAD applications.
A privately held, $600 million manufacturer, Guide corporation was divested from Delphi Automotive Systems in November of 1998. Starting with no IT organization of its own, Guide successfully rolled out an entirely new IT infrastructure and enterprise software suite in 17 months -- on-time, under budget and without interrupting its business.
"With QAD applications and the support of many talented, committed people, we completed our IT transition three months ahead of a 24 month deadline and we reduced our IT operating expenses by one-third," said Guide VP and CIO, Jim Johnson. "There were no disruptions to our business, our customers, or our employees, and, more importantly, we created the IT infrastructure necessary to support our business as it grows."
A special sense of urgency was instilled in the Guide project team by a million-dollar plus monthly transition IT services bill payable to GM after the divestiture. The company worked in conjunction with QAD partners PriceWaterhouseCoopers and EDS to evaluate several industry vendors, including SAP. Guide opted to put its enterprise implementation on the fast-track by choosing QAD to bring its automotive e-manufacturing expertise to the project. The implementation of QAD applications was dubbed "Project Phoenix," signifying a new (systems) beginning for the company.
On April 1, 2000, Guide moved approximately 600 users of its order-to-cash business functions for all the company's locations to QAD applications. QAD software implemented by Guide included QAD MFG/PRO enterprise applications, The Planner and Release Management. Two HP 9000 Unix servers were chosen to support the applications.
"We congratulate Guide on its outstanding achievement and we are proud to have played a part in helping it build a world-class IT organization," said Pam Lopker, president and founder of QAD. "QAD continues to be chosen by the top manufacturers and distributors in our selected verticals to deliver e-manufacturing applications that help break down global boundaries, enhance customer service and increase market share."
Guide is currently rolling out QAD enterprise applications to its new Monterrey, Mexico facility, and adapting the system to its Lean Manufacturing initiatives. In 2001, the company looks forward to developing a supplier e-commerce Web site using QAD applications.
About Guide Corporation
Headquartered in Anderson, Indiana, Guide Corporation is the largest independent North American manufacturer of automotive lighting systems, including headlamps, turn signals, tail lamps and license plate lamps. With 3,100 employees and $600 million in sales, the company has factories in Indiana, Louisiana, Mexico and Korea, and supplies its products to General Motors, Isuzu and Toyota, among others.
About QAD
QAD is a leading innovator of e-business solutions for manufacturing, distribution and exchanges. QAD applications are used at more than 5,000 licensed sites in 86 countries. Available in 26 languages, QAD software serves the following industries: automotive, consumer products, electronics, food and beverage, industrial and medical products. For more information about QAD, telephone 805/684 6614, or visit the QAD Web site at http://www.qad.com. To receive any of QAD's news releases via facsimile, contact 800/356-0747, or, outside the U.S., contact 213/253-5647.
QAD is a trademark and MFG/PRO is a registered trademark of QAD Inc. All other products or company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to Investors: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks include evolving demand for the company's software products and products that operate with the company's products, the publication of opinions by industry analysts about the company, its products and technology, the entry of new competitors and their technological advances, delays in localizing the company's products for new markets, delays in sales as a result of lengthy sales cycles; changes in operating expenses, pricing, timing of new product releases, the method of product distribution or product mix; and general economic factors. In addition, revenue and earnings in the e-business and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software industries are subject to fluctuations, and the growth rates recently experienced by the company do not necessarily represent future operating results. Investors should not use any one quarter's results as a benchmark for future growth. For a more detailed description of the risk factors associated with the company and the enterprise resource planning industry, please refer to the company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2000.