Tempe, AZ October 23, 2002 Japanese retailer AEON Co. has turned to an enterprise integration platform from webMethods to implement an integrated IT infrastructure for automating business processes across the AEON group of companies and ultimately to drive the group's growth.
With total consolidated revenues of $24 billion for fiscal year 2001, the AEON Group operates Japan's leading general merchandise stores, supermarkets and drugstore chains. In addition to Japan, the group has retail operations across Southeast Asia, China and in the United States.
At first, AEON will use the webMethods integration platform to connect financial systems with the company's 8,000 retail stores.
Over the next year, AEON is counting on the platform to integrate systems and automate business processes across the group's 142 different companies and geographic locations in order to further its global expansion plans by offering improved levels of customer service and a streamlined supply chain.
As a member of the World Wide Retail Exchange (WWRE), AEON will also use the integration platform as the underlying integration infrastructure to conduct a range of procurement and commerce transactions with the WWRE Exchange and its trading partners.
"Our goal is to be among the top 10 global retailers within 10 years," said Mr. Atsunobu Agata, chief information officer of AEON Group. "The integration project will allow AEON to integrate both internal business systems and external partner transactions, ultimately offering a higher level of service to our customers, streamlining our supply chain, and developing better and more efficient stores."
