Laval, Quebec – March 5, 2010 – 20-20 Technologies Inc., the world leader in 3D interior design and furniture manufacturing software, announced today that it has entered in strategic discussions with the SHD Group, an important provider of 20-20 software, hardware, and services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Representatives of the two companies met in Cologne during the IMM international furnishing show recently to initiate a strategy to expand the distribution of the innovative and powerful 20-20 Virtual Planner software solution in these countries.
“We are pleased to expand our relationship with the SHD Group's team, which is already distributing our point-of-sales product, 20-20 Fusion,” said Jörg Witthus, 20-20 Technologies’ Executive Vice President for Europe, based in Osnabrück, Germany. “As a well-established supplier in this market, SHD will accelerate the deployment of this powerful marketing tool for companies involved in the interior design process.”
20-20's end-to-end portfolio of products includes software spanning from point-of-sale to manufacturing solutions. It begins with the customer-facing planning and 3D visualization tool, 20-20 Virtual Planner, which was recently adopted by a large Home furnishing company, following a very extensive selection processes.
20-20 Virtual Planner is an online planning and 3D visualization application that helps businesses market and sell their interior design products to consumers, by featuring products using rich interactive 3D content and stunning visuals that stand out from typical media. Consumers can experiment with that product in an interactive way either in pre-designed rooms, or they can create personal designs with products for all types of residential and commercial spaces. The resulting design item list can be integrated to a shopping cart, allowing users to instantly transfer complete designs to a local retailer for purchase. Retailers use their 20-20 point of sales solution for professional design completion and to electronically send the product order data to their manufacturers via the web. With inherent integration to 20-20’s Enterprise Manufacturing Solutions, Insight or Factory Network, the electronic order allows manufacturers to drive production on the factory floor in a cost effective and efficient manner. These highly industry specific Enterprise Manufacturing Solutions provide advanced Product & Process Configuration, Engineering automation, Shop-Floor Execution and Supply Chain management.
“20-20 Technologies' Virtual Planner is the most appealing solution available in the market worldwide and we are very enthusiastic about being able to offer it soon to our customer base,” said André Angermüller, managing partner for SHD Holding GmbH. “For businesses involved in the interior design process, this software solution is a very powerful tool to attracts and retains customers. 2020 Virtual Planner can further be adapted and customized to match our customer’s corporate look with logo and color scheme,” he added.
About SHD
Since its foundation in 1983, the company has concentrated on the development and implementation of industry-specific IT solutions for the furniture trade and furniture industry, and today maintains a nationwide leading market position in Germany. Today, the group of companies includes five subsidiary companies: SHD Einzelhandelssoftware GmbH & Co. KG, SHD Logistiksoftware GmbH & Co. KG, SHD Technologie und Service GmbH & Co. KG, SHD Kreative Planungs-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG, and gff Finanz- & Personalwirtschaftssysteme GmbH. The main focus of the group lies in the development and distribution of ERP/merchandise management systems for whole- and retail sale, planning systems for kitchen, bathroom and living room design for the furniture trade and furniture industry, systems for warehouse organisation as well as financial and personnel managements software. For some years now, the service divisions like consulting, operational analysis, organisation, training, and customer hotline have increasingly gained significance. In more than 2,000 whole- and retail sale companies in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, software, hardware, and services of the group of companies are deployed. The SHD Group employs 355 employees.
About 20-20 Technologies Inc.
20-20 Technologies is the world's leading provider of computer-aided design, business and software solutions tailored for the interior design and furniture industries. Dealers and retailers use its desktop and Web-based products and solutions for the Home and Office markets. 20-20 offers a unique proprietary end-to-end solution, integrating the entire breadth of functions in interior design. It provides a bridge for data communication from the point-of-sale to manufacturing and world-leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, including computer-aided engineering and plant floor automation software. Operating in twelve countries with more than 500 employees, 20-20 is a publicly traded company (TWT) on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). For more information, visit www.2020technologies.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws.
Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of future operating results and economic performance of the Company are assumptions regarding projected revenues and expenses. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned that actual future operating results and economic performance of the Company are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including general economic, market and business conditions and could differ materially from what is currently expected.
For more exhaustive information on these risks and uncertainties you should refer to our most recently filed Annual Information Form which is available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information contained in this report is based on management’s current estimates, expectations and projections, which Management believes are reasonable as of the current date. The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it is under no obligation and does not undertake to update this information at any particular time, unless required by applicable securities law.
For more information, contact:
USA, Canada, International : Europe :
Marjolaine Frigon Dennis Frommeyer
+1-514-332-4110 +49-541-3550-0