Amsterdam, May 12, 2003 - Lawson Software, Inc. (Nadsaq: LWSN) today announced that the entire operations of Safeway Inc. (NYSE: SWY) are now using Lawson's Financials suite. The recently completed implementation moved Safeway from disparate reporting systems to a consolidated financial solution that allows the company to operate from a single source of data and common chart of accounts. Safeway is running Lawson's 8 series applications on a distributed platform configuration of Unix and DB2.
Safeway's implementation of Lawson's Financials suite, including General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Asset Management and Activity Management, will greatly expedite and enhance the quality of reporting at the division level of the company.
"Lawson's retail solutions will help our organization create accurate and timely reports for helping us make quicker, better informed decisions, which is critical in our highly competitive industry, where margins are exceptionally tight," said Mike Ferrell, group vice president of the National Account Service Center for Safeway Inc. "We are working with the leading financial solution that caters to the unique needs of the retail industry."
According to Jeff Roster, a senior analyst at Gartner Dataquest, grocers and retailers alike are finding it increasingly important to have near real-time access to information to respond to rapidly emerging trends.
"Lawson helps large organizations like Safeway transform disparate data into useful information," said Carol Mackenzie, retail market director, Lawson Software. "Our financial solution is providing Safeway with the tools it needs to manage its operating expenses and revenue opportunities for improved net profitability."
Lawson's industry-focused software solutions enable retailers to integrate the systems they use to run and grow their businesses. These solutions provide financial information and analysis needed to increase profit margins. Lawson customers include five of the top 10 U.S.-based retailers, eight of the top 20 apparel retailers, seven of the top 25 grocery chains, 23 of the top 100 restaurant chains and 20 of the top 100 specialty chains.
About Lawson Software
Lawson Software provides business process software solutions that help services organizations in the healthcare, retail, professional services, public sector, financial services and other strategic markets achieve competitive advantage. Lawson's solutions include enterprise performance management, distribution, financials, human resources, procurement, merchandising and services automation. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., Lawson has offices and affiliates serving North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Additional information about Lawson is available at www.lawson.com.
About Safeway Inc.
Safeway is a Fortune 50 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America based on sales. The company operates 1,695 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.
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For additional information contact:
Terry Blake, Director of Corporate Communications
651-767-4766, terry.blake@lawson.com
Donate Broenland
+31 (0) 70 31 21 070
dbroenland@webershandwick.com