ant Technologies Announces its 2007 Logistics Automation Results

The year 2007 turned out to be very successful both for ant Technologies in general and for its warehouse automation division in particular. The total sales under integrated projects to deploy WMSs grew 2.5 times compared to the previous year and more than three times against 2005. It is also noteworthy that the share of consulting services in the company’s total sales upsurged from about 5% in 2006 to 22% in 2007.

ant Technologies in 2007 signed 18 new integrated warehouse automation contracts with companies in a variety of business areas.

Logistics Service Providers (LSP) currently represent the largest share in the company’s clientele as the sales in that market segment grew in 2007 as much as three times against the previous year – to 63% of the total sales. The list of those customers choosing Logistic Vision Suite as their software platform for warehouse management applications was supplemented by some major logistic service operators, including Russian Logistics Service, Smart Logistic Group and Eurosib Group. In addition, ant Technologies presently has UniTrans Logistic, TDL Terminal, ABX Logistics, Distribution Center, High Tech Logistic, Terra Logistica and TBN Logistic among its 3PL customers. Thus, the company in 2007 managed to take the lead in the 3PL warehouse automation segment, while Vision Suite proved in practice its competitiveness in that segment.

Furthermore, ant Technologies’ efforts to deploy WMSs in 2007 were focused on wholesalers and distributors. The company’s new customers in that segment include Domocenter Holding Company (a distributor for construction and finishing materials), Kredos (a distributor for alcoholic drinks), Logistic Systems (a distributor for car parts), etc. The year 2007 also saw the launch of a number of automation projects for retailers and industrial enterprises.

In 2007, ant Technologies strengthened its existing partnerships and established new relations with several leading foreign software developers. As a significant event for its corporate development, the company signed a partnership agreement with Syncron, a strong player in the international market for solutions for supply chain automation. The deal made it possible for ant Technologies to expand its portfolio with Syncron solutions for supply chain planning. The technology innovations marketed by the company in 2007 also included Pick to Light technology based solutions, which can be integrated with WMSs and are designed to expand warehouse handling functionality.

Not resting on its laurels, ant Technologies expands into new business areas. In the last fall, it launched iMaint, a maintenance service and repair management system, and its experts successfully implemented a pilot project to deploy that system on a full-function basis at the North Domodedovo Logistic Park managed by I.Q. Property Management Open Operating System.

In the last November, ant Technologies in collaboration with its partners successfully held Supply Chain Management Forum 2007, an event that attracted much interest from market players. The forum received about 100 delegates and became a new business site for logistics specialists to exchange their professional experience and expertise. One distinctive feature of that event was the opportunity provided for the participants to acquaint themselves with hands-on experience of both Russian and foreign companies taking the leading positions in their respective industries, while leading foreign software developers presented their technology innovations to the Russian audience. In other words, ant Technologies strives to be an innovative company by contributing to the promotion of advanced technologies in the Russian market and the use of international best practices in logistics and facilitating the development of the Russian logistics market.

“Our plans for 2008 call for us to further strengthen our leading position in the 3PL segment while at the same time improving its stance in the market for automation services for wholesale distribution warehouses, retailers and industry,” said Alexander Usov, ant Technologies’  CEO. “Furthermore, we are going to develop our portfolio of consulting services to meet the ever growing demand for professional logistic services. We have been already working to expand our staff of professional business consultants and deployment specialists, invest in the development of our technology and industry expert examination services and improve the quality of our services.”