Imperial Tobacco Group Selects Aras as Enterprise PLM Backbone

Andover, MA, September 24, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Aras®, the next leader in enterprise Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software, today announced that Imperial Tobacco Group (LN: IMT), a leading international tobacco company, has selected the Aras PLM suite for end-to-end global product lifecycle management. Following a comprehensive review of leading PLM providers including Siemens PLM Software and Dassault Systèmes, Imperial chose Aras for the flexibility and configurability of its PLM platform which are must-haves in the fast-paced consumer goods industry. Under the agreement Imperial will implement Aras as an enterprise PLM backbone to streamline Product Lifecycle, eliminate redundant systems, and drive collaboration, process improvement and compliance worldwide.

“In the highly regulated and extremely dynamic tobacco industry we require a single, complete solution that can keep up with the ever-evolving needs of our global business,” said Bertrand Villoteau, Head of Processes & Systems Manufacturing and R&D at Imperial Tobacco Group. “We looked at the leading PLM systems and chose Aras for its advanced technology, overall agility, and cost-effective phased implementation approach. We also like that Aras has no distractions; the company is 100% dedicated to enterprise product lifecycle management,” said Gerold Bublitz, Head of Supply Chain Processes at Imperial Tobacco Group.

Imperial’s PLM requirements include a unique blend of discrete manufacturing, formula and recipe, and quality and compliance management. With Aras, the company will replace outdated legacy systems with a single enterprise backbone across geographically dispersed manufacturing, marketing and product development centers, as well as external partners and suppliers. Imperial will leverage Aras Innovator for BOM and formula management, project and program management, packaging and materials management, brand hierarchy management and more.

Imperial brands include Davidoff, West, Gauloises Blondes, Montecristo, Golden Virginia (the world's largest-selling hand rolling tobacco), Drum (the world's second-largest-selling fine-cut tobacco) and Rizla (the world’s best-selling rolling paper).

“Imperial Tobacco is a fast-paced company that values intellectual property and product development strategy as competitive advantages. Forward-thinking companies like Imperial reject slow-moving, off-the-shelf legacy systems, choosing instead to advance their business with like-minded technologies such as Aras that are as agile and responsive as they are,” said Peter Schroer, President of Aras. We are very pleased to be working the Imperial Tobacco Group and we look forward to helping them drive innovation throughout their global business.”

About Imperial Tobacco Group
Imperial Tobacco Group PLC is a multi-national tobacco company with international strength in cigarettes and world leadership in fine cut tobacco, premium cigars, rolling papers and tubes. Headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, the company’s 35,000 employees produce and distribute more than 320 billion cigarettes per year in 44 manufacturing sites for over 160 markets around the world. For more information please visit www.imperial-tobacco.com

About Aras
We offer the best Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software for global businesses with complex products and processes. Advanced PLM platform technology makes Aras more scalable, flexible and secure for the world’s largest organizations, and a full set of applications provide complete functionality for companies of all sizes. Customers include GE, GETRAG, Hitachi, Honda, Motorola, TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Textron and XEROX. Aras is privately held with global headquarters in Andover, Mass. More at www.aras.com and Twitter @aras_plm