Al-Othaim selects Wipro Retail

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Al-Othaim selects Wipro Retail.

Saudi Arabian supermarket chain Al-Othaim has selected Wipro Retail, a leading international IT and business services company, to implement the Oracle Retail and E-Business Suite across the group.

The 2nd largest Saudi retailer, with a $700 million turnover, will initially roll out the Merchandise Management and Inventory Management segments from the Oracle Retail Suite over the next 12 months. In parallel the back office operations in HR and Finance will be also be tackled by the implementation of the Oracle E-Business Suite modules, as well as some manufacturing components. Wipro Retail, formerly Enabler Wipro, will implement the complete solution.

The retailers current system relies on in-house development and on other vendors software. Due to the rapid growth of the business this no longer meets Al-Othaims needs.

The company wants to be able to access critical business information across the groups stores quickly, which will improve decision-making, increase profits and maintain its growth. The implementation will provide a single scalable enterprise wide solution and reduce maintenance costs of disparate systems.

Aadham Junaidallah, CIO of Al-Othaim, said, Our future plans can only be realised if they are supported and sustained by suitable technology. There is considerable competition within the Saudi Arabian market and this project will help us meet our growth targets. We are taking a phased implementation approach where key applications are introduced first. This will smooth the change process in the business.

Once the first stage of project is complete the retailer will then look at implementing the technology into operational areas. This includes stores and warehouse operations using the Oracle Retail Suite.

Mike Davies, General Manager at Wipro Retail, said, Our approach is based on a strong retail heritage together with a balance of innovation and pragmatism. Our retail knowledge gives an insight into how process and technology can be blended to improve a retailers performance. Our team, working together with representatives from Al-Othaim, will be able to take full advantage of the best of breed solution. Also, our capability to deliver the complete solution as Wipro Retail is essential to the project.

About Al-Othaim
Al-Othaim is an extension of Saleh Al-Othaim Trading Establishment which was founded in 1956 by the late Shiekh Saleh Al-Othaim. In 1981 Mr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Othaim and his brothers continued the business started by their father by expanding business through opening other commercial wholesale and retail sale shops and supermarkets.

The company has lead this industry not only through proposing new marketing ideas but also through creative concepts in dealing with clients and suppliers and through introducing new retail sale and wholesale technologies via its branches throughout the Kingdom.

In line with this remarkable expansion and success achieved by Al-Othaim Holding Company and in order for these advantages to cover the largest number of society members, the company found itself obliged to convert part of Al-Othaim Markets Co. to a general stockholding company.

About Wipro

Wipro is a 5b$ international IT and business services company that delivers measurable value to the worlds leading and best-known retailers through the deployment of innovative IT-based solutions.

Our deep industry knowledge is backed by the industrys broadest range of IT services and solutions (from Testing to TIS and ADSM, and from Consulting to BPO), and 90,000+ resources based in Europe, India and Latin America.

Within the overall business, retail is important and continues to grow. 4000+ people in the vertical are delivering world class services to many of the worlds leading retailers. The Enabler acquisition was part of the continuing commitment to the sector.

In short we work with leading retail organisations on their business and IT transformation programs to achieve competitive advantage, in Europe, Americas and APAC.