European Sugar Producer Implements CDC Software’s

European Sugar Producer Implements CDC Software’s CDC Factory Solution to Minimize Impact of Global Recessionary Conditions

CDC Software, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDC Corporation (NASDAQ.
CHINA) and a provider of industry-specific enterprise software applications and business services, announced today that Germany-based Südzucker AG, a leading sugar producer in Europe, is implementing CDC Factory’s manufacturing operations management and enterprise manufacturing intelligence solution at its sugar packaging plants in Europe to help reduce costs and improve operating margins.

Südzucker has already implemented CDC Factory at its plant in Plattling, Germany, with the next roll-out scheduled at its plant in Tienen, Belgium in April 2009. After the Belgium implementation, Südzucker plans to deploy CDC Factory at other plants in Europe. Based upon the results of a CDC Factory Profit Audit, a CDC Software service that identifies specific financial opportunities and improvement targets for a plant, CDC Software believes that CDC Factory could help Südzucker improve plant efficiency by up to 10 percent.

CDC Factory is also expected to help Südzucker maintain and build the company’s operating margins, despite the combination of falling sugar prices resulting from European Union (EU) reforms that were begun in 2006 and the global recession.

Based in Mannheim/Ochsenfurt, Germany, Südzucker produces more than five million tons of sugar annually, making them one of the largest sugar producers in the world. Through its other businesses, Südzucker’s products include frozen entrees and pizzas, bakery additives, starch products, sugar substitutes, and bioethanol.

According to Peter Koopmans, head of Business Unit Sugar Conversion at Südzucker AG, “CDC Factory’s impact on our workforce was almost immediate, as was an improvement in efficiency. We now have a template that can be rolled out to our other plant sites in a consistent manner.

We regard CDC Factory as a key enabler in expanding our operating margins during this challenging global recession. That is why we are investing in a project like this during a period where many manufacturers are cutting their capital spending. CDC Factory provides Südzucker a fast and substantial return on investment and helps us build more value for our shareholders.”

“CDC Factory represents an established, ’back to basics’ solution that addresses significant business challenges facing food manufacturers during this global recession,” said Mark Sutcliffe, president of the CDC Factory division of CDC Software. “In a time when many manufacturers are cutting capital spending, many forward-thinking food producers, like Südzucker, are selecting CDC Factory to help cope with rising costs and increasing demand. Despite the added complexity of the EU’s sugar industry and the global recession, we believe that CDC Factory will help Südzucker maintain its leadership position by improving their internal processes that directly impact profit.”

SOURCE: pr-inside