i2, the i2 User Group and Meta Group Announce `Ken Sharma Award for Excellence' Winners; Recipients selected for Industry Best Practices in Value Chain Transformation

Business Wire, Oct 25, 2001

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2001

i2 Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO), the leading provider of dynamic value chain management solutions, the i2 User Group and Meta Group (Nasdaq:METG), today announced the inaugural winners of the 'Ken Sharma Award for Excellence'. The awards were presented at a ceremony at the i2 Center of Excellence here today.

Named in honor of Ken Sharma, an i2 co-founder and one of the original visionaries of value chain management, the awards recognize companies and project teams involved in breakthrough best practices in all major industries around the globe. The award was open to the more than 1,000 customers with planned, in-progress or completed i2 deployments. A panel of META Group industry analysts reviewed the applications and selected winners in 10 categories.

"The stories these innovative companies tell are amazing. They possess incredible business transforming vision and demonstrate excellence in customer service. They have accomplished remarkable global transformations and achieved phenomenal value delivery through collaboration. They are leaders in value chain management and we are proud to call them i2 customers," said Hiten Varia, i2 chief delivery officer.

"The i2 User Group is honored to be associated with a program that recognizes the best practices of some of the most innovative companies in their respective industries," said J.B. Hoyt, Supply Chain project director, Whirlpool, and chairman of the i2 User Group. "It is important for all i2 customers to recognize the leaders in their peer group and to share the stories of their ongoing success." Hoyt noted that 17 of the 23 companies receiving Ken Sharma Awards for Excellence are affiliated with the i2 User Group.

Winners Hail From Five Different Countries

The inaugural Ken Sharma Award for Excellence winners hail from five different countries and span seven industries. Following are the award categories and the companies recognized for excellence in those areas:

Collaborative eCommerce

Solectron Corporation, the world's largest electronics manufacturing services company offering a full range of integrated contract manufacturing solutions for most of the world's leading electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), was recognized for delivering measurable value through business partner collaboration. The World Wide Retail Exchange received honorable mention recognition in this category.

Customer Service

Metso Minerals, formerly known as Nordberg, was recognized for excellence in customer service. The largest supplier of rock and mineral processing systems in the world, the company has a global service network and manufacturing in over 40 countries through its own units and distribution channels, with headquarters located in Finland. Metso Minerals was recognized for substantial improvement in customer service as measured by on-time delivery, fill rates and order cycle time. GE Mabe received honorable mention in this category.

Value Tracking Methodology

The Boeing Company, the world's largest aerospace company and manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, was recognized for realizing measurable value through prioritized implementations, conducted on-time and on-budget. CIBA Vision and Mercury Marine received honorable mention in this category.

Implementation Breadth and Depth

There were multiple winners in this award category. Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO), one of the world's largest steel companies, based in Seoul, Korea, was one recipient of the award for implementation breadth and depth. It shared the award with Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art personal computers, servers and office solutions, and Toshiba Corporation's Semiconductor Company, the world's second-largest semiconductor manufacturer. These companies were recognized for the positive impact the solutions implementation had on the depth and breadth of their value chain business processes and IT capabilities.

Joint Development

Cypress Semiconductor, a global supplier of high-performance integrated circuits with leadership in memory, logic and timing technology for networking and telecommunication applications, was recognized for its ability to "leap frog" its competition by partnering with its solutions provider to develop new leading-edge capabilities and creating measurable value. Siemens ITS received honorable mention recognition in this category.

Overall Value

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a global leader in semiconductors, the consumer electronics industry and digital convergence technology based in Seoul, Korea, was recognized for excellence in total measureable value created through the use of i2 solutions. Infineon Technologies received honorable mention in this category.

Overall Vision

Caterpillar Inc., the world leader in construction and mining machinery, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines, was recognized for excellence in overall vision, having the most compelling value chain transformation in progress, based on scale, depth and targeted value creation. TaylorMade-adidas Golf and National Semiconductor received honorable mention in this category.