IDS Scheer Celebrates 10 Years of Business Process Excellence in North America; Company Boasts First BPM Tool to be Embedded in SAP NetWeaver

Business Wire, Jan 25, 2005

BERWYN, Pa. -- IDS Scheer North America, the leading provider of business process excellence services and tools, today announced the 10th anniversary of its official entry into North America. Since the German-based IDS Scheer AG opened its North American offices in 1995, the region has grown its revenue and profit substantially with an impressive list of over 500 customers and nearly 300 employees.

The ARIS Framework and the ARIS Business Process Platform have become standards for business process lifecycle management. The ARIS Framework is used in many North American universities as the basis for business process management curriculum, including the University of Pennsylvania and Widener University in Philadelphia, and George Mason University in Washington, D.C.

A significant chapter of IDS Scheer's history includes its partnership with SAP AG. As a SAP Global Services Partner and Certified SAP Reseller, IDS Scheer achieved the unique distinction in 2003 when both companies agreed to a strategic co-development relationship to integrate ARIS Process Platform with SAP NetWeaver(TM). For its outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, IDS Scheer SME US and Canada were recognized by SAP North America with the Partner of Excellence Award for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year. The award is based on outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, and IDS Scheer recorded the highest score ever bestowed by SAP North America. (Please click on link to full story -- http://www.ids-scheer.com/usa/press/pressreleases).

In 2004, IDS Scheer introduced ARIS SmartPath, a process-oriented, ERP-based turnkey solution tailored to small and medium enterprises that serves as the cornerstone of the company's vertical market strategy. ARIS SmartPath, designed to leverage SAP or Microsoft ERP solutions, was developed specifically in North America and now serves as a template for IDS Scheer worldwide.

"Back in 1995, we were challenged to take the concept of business process management and our ARIS Framework into the North American market. Our business process solutions were ahead of their time, so we had to educate this market on the inherent benefits," said Dr. Mathias Kirchmer, CEO, IDS Scheer North America. "Ten years later, our ARIS Process Platform is widely used in the United States and Canada and considered an industry standard, and our consulting expertise has helped hundreds of organizations improve their technology and business strategies and operations, from small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to Fortune 100 companies."

Over the course of its 10-year history, IDS Scheer North America has reached significant milestones, especially its 2003 acquisition of the North American business unit from Plaut International, a Salzburg, Austria-based IT consulting firm. "This strategic acquisition solidified our mid-market strength and further positioned IDS Scheer as a full-solution provider for all phases of the business process lifecycle, including Process Implementation Consulting" added Dr. Kirchmer.

IDS Scheer North America is built upon the principles of its founding father Dr. August Wilhelm-Scheer who started the company in Germany in 1984. To commemorate the 10-year anniversary, Dr. Scheer and Dr. Kirchmer have collaborated on a new Jazz CD, titled Bebop Process Excellence. Both of these BPM thought leaders have written extensively on the parallels between Jazz and business process management.

"Like jazz music, business process management requires creativity, a common theme, a certain level of autonomy among the participants, and a framework or structure to work in harmony. When organizations adhere to these tenets, they can achieve operational efficiencies, productivity gains and cost savings," commented Dr. Kirchmer.

About IDS Scheer North America

IDS Scheer is the leading provider of solutions for business process excellence. The company's ARIS-based solutions offer a complete portfolio for "Business Process Excellence," including the services, software and methods to address all phases of the business process lifecycle: design, implementation, execution and continuous improvement. From small/medium enterprises to Global 1000 organizations, IDS Scheer provides a wide array of solutions to help customers optimize, and profit from, their investments in Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Next Generation Business Process Automation solutions. As a SAP Global Services Partner, IDS Scheer enables customers to maximize their SAP investment and build winning businesses. As part of an organization of more than 2000 employees worldwide and over 250 in North America, IDS Scheer is built upon a foundation of business process excellence that began when the company was founded in 1984 by August-Wilhelm Scheer, widely recognized as a founding father of Business Process Management. For more information on IDS Scheer North America, visit http://www.ids-scheer.com/us.>