Lawson Signs Contract with Surfing Fashion Icon Rip Curl

Lawson Software, a leading provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software applications, has signed a contract with one of the world’s leading youth fashion brands, Rip Curl, to deploy the Lawson M3 Enterprise Management System to help improve its global supply chain operations. The contract was signed during Lawson’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, which ended May 31, 2007.

Headquartered in

Rip Curl’s customers include major surfwear retailers, department stores and sports stores in Australia and overseas in markets including Europe, the US, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand. Additionally, the company also supplies its own chain of global stores.

As part of the agreement, Lawson will provide Rip Curl with software licenses and services to help improve its business process efficiencies and support the company’s global expansion plans. The project will include a comprehensive rollout of the Lawson M3 system, incorporating CRM, Demand Planner, Business Intelligence, eSales and Enterprise Mobility solutions.

 “A key business driver behind the company’s decision to implement the Lawson solution is to align Rip Curl’s global business operations to improve communication and the sharing of financial, supply chain and operational information,” said Michael Daly, chief financial officer for Rip Curl. “We’ve been operating globally in markets like the

By implementing the Lawson M3 system, Rip Curl will be positioned to unite these disparate systems under one global system and establish standardised and consistent business process around the world.

“To meet our continuing expansion goals, we need a lot more transparency and integration of information across the business. To achieve this, we’ve chosen to partner with Lawson and implement its ERP solutions,” said Daly.

Lawson won the Rip Curl contract in a highly competitive market. The company’s decision to sign with Lawson came after a rigorous appraisal of current market solutions including those from competitors, SAP and Microsoft. Rip Curl executives also spoke to existing Lawson customers in the fashion apparel industry.

“The Lawson M3 solution was best suited to meet our industry-specific needs,” added Daly. “While some of the other vendors we spoke to said they had functionality specific to the fashion apparel industry, once we dug a little deeper it became apparent that there were obvious gaps in their offerings. When we spoke to other Lawson users in the industry, we received excellent feedback about the general stability of the M3 solution, as well as the fact that Lawson is a reliable vendor and a good partner to work with. We also gained a better understanding of the cost effectiveness of Lawson’s offering through these discussions. We are now confident that we have made the right decision to partner with Lawson.”

The Lawson M3 solution will provide Rip Curl with advanced global supply chain functionality, allowing it to significantly reduce the risks around buying. “At the moment, we have little transparency on our data around the world. Therefore, it’s difficult for us to make an accurate judgement of what inventory we already have, what we need to buy in the future, what’s selling, what’s not, and when stock is due to be dispatched and arrive,” said Daly. “The M3 solution will allow us to share data and manage our inventory globally rather than regionally. The demand planning tools included in the suite will also help us to become better decision makers, and better manage our supply chain right through from placing orders initially with the suppliers, to order fulfilment with our customers.”  

The Lawson M3 solution will offer a number of business benefits to Rip Curl, including enhanced financial management processes through increased data visibility. On the distribution side of the business, Rip Curl expects to see improved accuracy in planning, forecasting and shipping. It also anticipates enhancements to sales, order and inventory management processes, as well as better analysis of suppliers for sourcing decisions.

On the warehousing side, the Lawson M3 Enterprise Mobility solution will deliver further benefits to Rip Curl including improved workload planning, and better item picking and packing processes.

Rip Curl will also be looking for gains across its manufacturing business following the completion of the M3 roll out. This includes improved management around material and capacity constraints, as well as improved quality control, and more efficient use of resources.

“Once the new Lawson system is deployed, we expect to improve the speed at which we can deliver goods to stores and customers around the world, while at the same time significantly reducing risks of overbuys and mismanagement of our inventory,” said Daly.

 “This deal demonstrates our strength in the fashion apparel industry and helps solidify our reputation as a leading provider of business software to companies operating in this sector,” said Stephen Moore, managing director for Lawson in ANZ. “Rip Curl can see the benefits of using a system specifically designed to meet their needs; a solution that offers the best possible TCO and vertical market functionality. We’ve also very pleased that Rip Curl saw the value of our direct services model, which offers a strong global roll out proposition. Furthermore, our “Smart-client” interface and associated productivity tools will support Rip Curl’s business in a truly global, real-time manner.”

The new contract adds one of the best known lifestyle fashion brands in

The Rip Curl Lawson M3 implementation project is due to go live in

Ends

About Rip Curl

Founded in

The Search is the driving force that led to the creation of Rip Curl. Back in 1967, two surfer mates in Torquay (near

Rip Curl now markets a broad range of stylish and functional apparel for the surfing and mountain lifestyles, plus surfboards, wetsuits, watches, footwear, eyewear, travel bags and backpacks, in more than 60 countries across the globe.

Rip Curl is not alone as a company founded by grass roots participants of surfing. There are other companies around the world who have similar goals and aspirations, similar histories of involvement with the spirit of adventure among surfers, snowboarders and snow-skiers.

And yet there is only one Rip Curl. Only one company coloured with that fine madness that is almost indefinable. That fine madness you tend to associate with the piercing hoot of stoke you might yell coming out of an awesome barrel. That’s us…

For more information about Rip Curl, please visit: www.ripcurl.com.au.

About Lawson Software

Lawson Software provides software and service solutions to 4,000 customers in manufacturing, distribution, maintenance and service sector industries across 40 countries. Lawson’s solutions include Enterprise Performance Management, Supply Chain Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Manufacturing Resource Planning, Enterprise Asset Management and industry-tailored applications. Lawson solutions assist customers in simplifying their businesses or organizations by helping them streamline processes, reduce costs and enhance business or operational performance. Lawson is headquartered in

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that contain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements contain statements of intent, belief or current expectations of Lawson Software and its management. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The company is not obligated to update forward-looking statements based on circumstances or events that occur in the future. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: uncertainties in Lawson's ability to realize synergies and revenue opportunities anticipated from the Intentia International acquisition; uncertainties in the software industry; uncertainties as to when and whether the conditions for the recognition of deferred revenue will be satisfied; increased competition; uncertainty regarding potential future deterioration in the market for auction rate securities which could result in additional permanent impairment charges, global military conflicts; terrorist attacks; pandemics, and any future events in response to these developments; changes in conditions in the company's targeted industries and other risk factors listed in the company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lawson assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release.

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