Epicor unveils new range of business software solutions, reports 98 per cent MENA revenue growth

Unveiling a new product range, the first suite of business software solutions from Epicor portfolio in the region post the US-based company's acquisition of Scala Business Solutions in 2004, senior officials of the company said its expansion in the MENA region follows solid growth in 2005 with total revenue growth since 2003 at 98 per cent.

Addressing a press conference on the opening day of the region's premier IT expo, GITEX 2006, at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Mr. John Hiroaka, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Epicor, said:

"The MENA region represents a significant opportunity with the surging economic growth fueling technology spend. As one of the leading players in the EAS space, we've been very successful in the regional market after the merger with Scala in 2003. Till the end of 2005, we registered a license revenue growth of 71 per cent, while we added 102 customers and appointed eight new channel partners. We now have an installation base of over 350 sites in the region across all sectors and 13 channel partners and we plan to expand the Epicor partner community further."

According to 2006 analyst statistics, he continued, "Our enhanced foray into MENA comes at a time when spend on EAS in the region is set to grow 12.5 per cent in 2006 with a potential market size of US$210 million. In 2005, the size of EAS market in the region grew by 16 per cent to US$187 million. We see GCC as a significant source of growth as it represented 80 per cent of the EAS expenditure last year."

Launching the expanded product offering to the MENA market for the first time, Mr. Hiroaka said the solutions are tailor made to support the key growth sectors of retail, hospitality, services and manufacturing in the regional economy.

The products include Epicor Vantage, a higher-end manufacturing enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite, the Epicor CRS Retail Suite, an end-to-end vertically focused solution which has come to Epicor following acquisition of US-based CRS Retail Systems in 2005, and Epicor for Service Enterprises, targeted primarily at the professional services industry. At GITEX 2006, Epicor is also showcasing Epicor iScala, the leading solution for the booming hospitality industry in the region, Epicor ITSM, an ITIL compatible IT service management solution and Epicor Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), a comprehensive e-procurement and sourcing solution, among others.

Commenting on the new products and strategic marketing outlook for the regional market, Mr. Mathew Muldoon, Marketing Director, EMEA, said: "Our successful performance last year and the market expansion opportunities in the wake of high liquidity levels and surging economic growth in the region gives us the confidence to expand our footprint further. We have been studying the MENA market very closely and our new product range has been chosen after a careful analysis of various economic sectors."

He said the choice of enhancing and adding value to the retail, hospitality, services and manufacturing sectors was logical since these are the sectors which have been growing over the last years at a rapid growth rate.

"GCC will be a key market for us, apart from other countries in the larger region, including India. In line with our strategic expansion plans we are also in the process of expanding our channel partners to capitalize on the growing opportunities. We see retail as a big opportunity--industry estimates say that up to 400 malls are coming up across the MENA and South Asia in the next 10 years. The hospitality sector also presents a great growth avenue with the growth in regional tourism, while there is a clear-sighted focus on manufacturing with rapid economic diversification underway," Mr. Muldoon said.

Mr. Basil Daniells, Sales Director, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia said: "Ever since our establishment in 1997 in Dubai, we have seen the region as a consistent source of emerging opportunities. The potential for growth has increased tremendously in the wake of surging regional revenues triggering increase in IT spend. The UAE & Saudi Arabia experienced the fastest growth in 2005, both look set to repeat this feat over the next two years. North Africa is also expected to be the most dynamic market in the medium term"