Content about Manufacturing

By Kevin Farkas, KFarkas@activeinternational.com

By Dr. Trevor Davis, trevor.davis@uk.ibm.com

Dublin, Calif. -- Epicor Software Corp., a leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announced the company has again been named the leading vendor of point-of-sale software for both specialty soft goods retailers and hard goods retailers by research and advisory firm IHL Group. This marks the second consecutive year that Epicor has been ranked the No. 1 vendor overall in both studies.

Li Ning, one of China’s largest marketers of sports apparel, footwear and equipment, has opened a flagship in Beijing with a bold design that  uses the theme of motion to attract and engage shoppers. A strong angular grid pattern is present throughout the store — in the ceilings, lighting and floor pattern — that creates an impression of non-stop movement. The theme is most visible on the sweeping lines of the four-story façade, which features a massive banner with changeable imagery.

New Delhi, India -- India’s government said Thursday that it has OK’d plans to permit foreign retailers to open stores that sell more than one brand, paving the way for retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores and Carrefour SA to expand their presence in the country.

The approved plan calls for overseas companies to put half of their investment in infrastructure such as processing, manufacturing, storage, warehouses and packaging.

Dublin, Calif. -- Epicor Software Corp., a global provider of business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, and Ace Hardware Corp., the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry, announced an extended three-year agreement.

Throughout the retail industry and beyond, Walmart has earned a reputation as a leader in executing sustainable improvements that deliver positive results for consumers, communities and the company’s bottom line. Andrea Thomas, who joined Walmart in 2007, was appointed the company’s first senior VP sustainability in August 2010. Thomas talked with Chain Store Age contributing editor Connie Gentry about what sustainability means at Walmart and how the company leverages its scale to make the biggest possible impact for global good.

By William Gindlesperger, william.gindlesperger@e-lynxx.com

Innovation is required if the United States is to regain the level of productivity that it enjoyed toward the end of the 19th Century through the mid-20th Century. However, innovation by itself is not enough. Just as our parents and grandparents adopted electricity, the automobile, credit cards and airplanes in the period from 1870-1950, businesses and organizations of the 21st Century must embrace change.

New York -- The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-1 to ban plastic bags at supermarket checkouts, becoming the largest city in the nation to approve such a law.

The council voted to phase out plastic bags during the next 16 months at an estimated 7,500 stores, meaning shoppers will need to bring reusable bags or purchase paper bags for 10 cents each.

New York -- GE Capital, Corporate Finance announced it is administrative agent for a $70 million asset-based credit facility for Le Château, a leading Canadian specialty retailer and apparel manufacturer. The loan will be used to refinance existing debt and support working capital needs.

Buffalo Grove, Ill. -- Siemens Building Technologies Division announced that Michaels Stores recently rolled out a series of Siemens advanced extensions to the Site Controls’ energy management system (EMS). The extensions will provide Michaels a cash-on-cash payback of 20 months, and an ROI exceeding 90%. In addition, the investment will drive further reductions in Michaels’ carbon footprint, the environmental equivalent of 5,600 cars from the road each year.

Stamford, Conn. -- GE Capital Retail Bank has announced a multi-year renewal to continue providing financing for customers of Discount Tire, the nation’s leading independent tire retailer. GE Capital’s Retail Finance business, the operating entity that provides financial solutions to retailers and dealers to help grow their customer sales, will continue to manage the Discount Tire relationship and service the account.