APE Motors Speeds Ahead with Scala’s e-Business Management Solution

Added: (Tue Jun 26 2001)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Market-leading Latvian wholesale and retail distributor of car spare parts gain significant competitive advantage with Scala’s Internet software for e-business

London, 26 June 2001: APE Motors has chosen the iScala Global Commerce Server to enter the world of e-commerce and further enhance its reputation for leading-edge business management strategy. Scala's software for doing business over the Internet provides APE Motors with real-time demand and inventory information 24 hours per day as well as allowing the company to realise its goal of increased market advantage over its competitors. The Scala system was implemented by eCraft, Scala’s Finnish and Baltic e-business partner.

“With over 70,000 different part numbers and up to 10,000 parts in stock at any one time, it was time consuming for our customers and our staff to rely on the traditional phone method for taking orders and enquires,” said Andris Apalups, Financial Director, APE Motors, Latvia. “We decided to implement an e-business strategy in order to make life easier for both our customers and ourselves. This meant that we needed a robust and reliable system in place to support us.”

According to Apalups, APE Motors saw that no other solution on the market could offer the amount of functionality it needed at a reasonable price. “The benefit of having one fully comprehensive solution to do everything is that it makes life a lot easier for us,” he said. “Scala allows seamless integration between our back office and the APE website, so our customers can have 24 hour access to accurate stock information as well as the opportunity to place orders and make stock reservations outside of normal working hours.” He added, “Working with an experienced implementation partner such as eCraft has proven invaluable when improving our business processes.”

By installing Scala’s completely integrated product line for managing an e-business - Scala’s back-office products and iScala Internet software - APE Motors is also achieving improved customer relations and increasing overall levels of customer satisfaction. APE sees e-commerce as a way to provide new, leading-edge services to its customers, as well as streamlining its business by decreasing processing costs and inventory levels, increasing employee productivity, and shortening lead times.

Implementing Scala’s e-Business Management Solutions (eBMS) means that APE Motors can begin to embrace the potential of e-commerce and lead the way with its innovative and streamlined business practices. Apalups commented “Our overall aim in implementing an e-business strategy was to gain competitive advantage and lower our running costs. By implementing Scala as our total business solution we are confident that this will be achieved.”

“It is good to see true market leaders like APE invest in Scala as it is an excellent indicator of our own performance," says Dimitri Kutsevalov, Managing Director for Scala Latvia. “APE has now adopted our e-business capabilities and to see such a customer progress with our technology makes for an excellent partnership. I look forward to continuing this relationship and bringing about further benefits to APE Motors.”

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Notes to Editors

About APE Motors

APE Motors is a wholesale and retail distributor of car spare parts to the Latvian market. Founded in Riga, Latvia, in 1995 as a joint venture between APE Components AB in Sweden and four private investors in Latvia, APE Motors is the market leader in their industry.


About Scala Business Solutions

Scala Business Solutions is a global software provider serving multinational companies. Scala makes global business simple with its world-class software for managing an e-business, combining traditional back office business management systems with software for doing business over the Internet. Scala provides a complete solution for its customers, and also works in combination with other providers to extend the scope its customers may need.

From offices in Europe, North America and the Far East, Scala delivers software that is available in more than 30 languages. The company implements its software through a network of direct offices and partners that together cover more than 100 countries. Local markets are also addressed through a network of dealers.

Scala is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: SCA). 2000 revenue was USD 71.2 million.

Visit Scala’s website at
www.scalaworld.com for press information including press releases, information for investors, and company and product information.

© 2001 Scala Business Solutions, NV. All rights reserved. Scala® is a registered trademark. Other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.