UDEX PARTNERS WITH KING DISTRIBUTION & SERVICES TO IMPROVE SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY

UDEX has been chosen by King to provide data cleansing services critical to their implementation of e-procurement within the UK. By increasing data quality and accuracy, King plans to complete a machine-to-machine purchase to pay environment by January 2005. Use of UDEX will reduce issues such as invoice queries, caused by poor quality data, delivering benefits to both King and its supplier base in advance of the adoption of the purchase-to-pay cycle.

King Distribution & Services is one of Europe's top 20 and fastest growing distribution and wholesale groups. It is a leading supplier of all non-food products used by every type of outlet from Restaurants, Hotels and Pubs to Schools, Leisure Centres and Offices. King processes over 1.4 million purchase orders a year with its supplier base and it is critical therefore that this process runs smoothly with product data of the highest quality. This is where UDEX comes in.

King is also the first 'non-food' distributor to fully embrace the industry-wide Optimum Foodservice Supply Chain Initiative (OFSCI).

OFSCI, a collaboration of leading operators, distributors and manufacturers, aims to provide a platform for improving operational efficiencies throughout the supply chain.

David Kelly, European Purchasing and Supply Chain Director at King said:

"King has worked hard with other members of OFSCI to develop industry standards for orders, acknowledgements, invoicing, bar codes and product data. These standards aim to help the industry become more efficient. To do this, we need consistent, accurate data. That is why UDEX has been chosen to help achieve our goals. With 375 suppliers in the UK alone, we are looking to have them all providing this by August 2004."

Leigh Glendinning, Key Account Manager at UDEX, said:

"The move by King to adopt the UDEX system sees us expand further afield into the non-food service sector. Poor data quality causes errors, inconsistency and inefficiency, ultimately affecting a company's competitiveness, reputation and financial returns. This is why more and more people are realising that UDEX's data quality services can save both them, and their suppliers a great deal of money and make their business more efficient. We look forward to working with King to achieve their goal of consistent, accurate data."