Emax selects 3i Infotech's Orion Enterprise solution

Part of the $2.5bn plus Landmark Group, Emax pioneered the big-box concept (large format retail store, with minimum 50,000 square feet outlets).

The company recently opened a 115,000 sq. ft. Store, the largest Electronics destination in Dubai (Oasis Centre) after having pioneered with Big Box Sharjah in December 2006, which continues to be the Largest Electronics Destination in the Middle East. Emax sells over 100,000 electronic products across 20 product categories and 300 brands.

Emax currently operates 12 stores across GCC, in an extremely price-competitive environment, coupled with constantly evolving technologies and products, and distinctive customer behaviour in each market.

3i Infotech's Orion Enterprise solution will manage Emax's overall enterprise resource planning requirements across the GCC countries, catering to the company's electronics distribution, electronics retail and service management operations.

Orion Enterprise, an ERP II framework-based offering, is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that will help Emax monitor inventory across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. Orion Enterprise will help Emax manage margins, develop and sustain vendor relationships and improve accounting controls.

The ERP system will aid the Emax management in enhancing customer service, increase sales and provide for an extremely flexible Point-Of-Sales (PoS) platform for the retail operations. The implementation of Orion Enterprise as a completely centralised solution will also allow Emax to maximize location-wise and territory-wise profitability.

Mr Pankaj Chawla, Chief Operating Officer, 3i Infotech, MEARC, said:

"Our ERP vertical has witnessed a CAGR of 40% in the past five years. More importantly, 3i Infotech's Orion has always played a 'game changing' role for many corporates in the Middle East, Africa, Russia and CIS countries. Large and medium sized companies, including organized retailers, have chosen Orion to consolidate their existing operations and to expand into newer markets. Emax adds another feather in our cap and we look forward to adding several more in the year ahead."

Mr. Ashish D Dass, Sr. Vice President & Business Head - ERP & Investment Management Group, 3i Infotech, MEARC, commented, "3i Infotech is pleased to partner with one of the largest electronics retail giants of the region. At 3i Infotech we understand the requirements of the challenging electronics retail sector in the region and are confident that Orion Enterprise will be a platform that will augment Emax's future growth plans."

Commenting on the tie-up, Mr. Neelesh Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer of Emax, said, "Emax is poised for a major dominance in the GCC electronics retail sector with an aggressive road map. From the current 12 stores, plans are afoot to expand our reach to a total of 33 outlets, covering over 1.5 million sq. ft and touching a turnover of Dhs2.2bn by 2010. Emax also has plans of entering into India, Egypt and the Far East. All these plans will require a massive back-end support and integration of various functions in to one singular reporting format."

"We were looking for an ERP solution that was scalable, dynamic and flexible in nature. One that was capable of addressing our specific business requirements. After a rigorous selection process we found 3i Infotech as the most capable partner with the ability to serve us within the GCC and globally," he said.