Leading Distribution Company Picks Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 to Boost Online Sales, Drive Business Growth

REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 4, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Penn Jersey Paper Co., a leading distributor of foodservice disposables, janitorial supplies, restaurant equipment and supplies, and supermarket packaging, has selected Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 to further grow its business and ramp up its presence on the Web with expanded e-commerce capabilities.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, to be implemented at Penn Jersey by Microsoft Certified Partner MBS Dev Inc., will replace an existing commerce@work enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that the company’s increasing head count and diversifying business had outgrown. Penn Jersey recently branched into retail sales besides its core wholesale operations and expanded its customer base to include restaurants and airport terminals.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is a flexible, cost-effective ERP solution that enables businesses to optimize their processes, drive down costs, work smarter, fuel productivity and grow revenue. Penn Jersey Paper chose Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 over rival offerings from Activant Solutions Inc., Epicor Software Corp. and Universal Business Systems Inc. because of its versatile, sophisticated functionality.

Executives also were impressed by Microsoft’s commitment to the long-term development of the product and the keen understanding of their vertical industry brought to the table by MBS Dev, which specializes in creating Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 software extensions for the specific needs of firms in the distribution sector.

“Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s advanced features and functionality with MBS Dev’s industry expertise will enable us to streamline our processes and promote best practice, maximize data accuracy, spur productivity and squarely meet our vertical industry needs,” said Penn Jersey Paper procurement manager Thomas Furia III. “The solution will form a cornerstone of our long-term strategy to grow our business while running a tight, efficient and economical operation internally.”

Penn Jersey will implement Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 alongside the MBS Dev Wholesale Distribution Suite (WDS) and the TARGIT BI (business intelligence) Suite from Microsoft Gold Certified Partner TARGIT.

The company anticipates that Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 will yield multiple business benefits and deliver on key strategic goals, including the following:

• Reduced costs. Executives expect cost savings to accrue to Penn Jersey’s bottom line from the ability to streamline and rationalize business processes.

• Business growth. MBS Dev’s Customer Connect e-commerce module, which utilizes Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s database, powered by Microsoft SQL Server 2008, will give Penn Jersey a platform to boost its Web presence and aggressively drive online sales. It also will empower Penn Jersey to further grow revenue through the ability to provide customers with richer information about the company’s inventory, opening up cross-selling and up-selling opportunities.

• Streamlined processes through integrated technology. Integrated e-commerce capabilities within Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 will eliminate the manual and duplicative data entry required with Penn Jersey’s existing, more rudimentary, stand-alone e-commerce application. Currently, employees must input data from it by hand to keep the separate ERP system up to date.

• Improved order processing. MBS Dev’s Sales Rep Connect module in tandem with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 will enable salespeople to put through orders in a more timely fashion from out in the field, accelerating order fulfillment and improving customer satisfaction.

• Increased flexibility. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 will give Penn Jersey the ability to make changes to core procedures plus perform other adjustments on the fly, helping make it a more agile and opportunistic player in the fast-moving market in which it does business. By contrast, making changes to its current ERP system has proved cumbersome and laborious, executives say.

• Integration with existing IT investments. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s interoperability with Penn Jersey’s installed base of Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office, will allow it to generate synergies between its productivity and ERP systems, specifically enhancing Penn Jersey’s messaging, collaboration and reporting capabilities. The solution’s familiar, user-friendly, Office-like interface also will enable the company to expedite and maximize user adoption.

• Improved data accuracy. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 and MBS Dev’s inventory and warehouse management capabilities will enable Penn Jersey to improve the tracking of its warehouse inventory and ability to fill customer orders.

• Improved supply chain management. Penn Jersey executives expect Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 with MBS Dev’s WDS to help it more precisely calibrate inventory to customer demand to run a leaner, more efficient warehouse operation compared with what has been possible with its existing ERP system. The company also anticipates being able to capitalize on trade discounts and promotional offerings from suppliers to further pare costs.

• Simplified IT management. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 gives Penn Jersey an easy-to-administer system with low management overheads that will empower its IT department to become a “central command center” for business reports and information, say executives.

• Enhanced forward planning. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s budgeting and financial forecasting tools will automate tasks that Penn Jersey has had to perform manually, improving its ability to plan for the future based on robust, sound data analysis.

“Penn Jersey’s choice highlights Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009’s allure to ambitious, growing businesses that want to position themselves for success in today’s economy,” said Michael Park, corporate vice president for the U.S. Microsoft Dynamics business at Microsoft. “Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 enables business to seize opportunities and nimbly adjust to changing conditions while minimizing costs and maximizing productivity.”

About Penn Jersey Paper

Penn Jersey Paper Company is a fully integrated distributor of packaging, paper, janitorial chemicals, consumables, and equipment for various business types. Penn Jersey customers include: Supermarkets, Food Service Operations, Healthcare Organizations, Bakeries, Packer Processors, Re-Distribution Companies, Industrial and Retail Companies. For more information visit www.pjponline.com.

About MBS Dev

MBS Dev, Inc. is a Colorado corporation founded to assist Microsoft Dynamics AX customers with distribution industry vertical solutions, development requirements and support services. MBS Dev, Inc. is a Gold Certified Partner Value Added Reseller (VAR) and Independent Software Vendor (ISV) for Microsoft Dynamics AX. For further information visit www.mbsdev.com.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions that helps businesses work more effectively. Delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business management solutions work like and with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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