ATLANTA, March 17, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manhattan Associates (Nasdaq:MANH) customers are global leaders in their respective industries and their executives are regularly recognized for their innovations in leveraging supply chain optimization to dramatically improve their companies' business processes. Brian McCarthy of Nature's Best and Mike Sparks of Urban Outfitters are the two latest examples, as both were named to Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 11th annual "Pros to Know," a listing of exceptional supply chain corporate executives, available in the February/March 2011 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine and found online at SDCExec.com/2011Prostoknow.
"The supply chain is increasingly recognized as a strategic differentiator for leading small, medium and large enterprises, and supply chain leaders have become crucial to the success of the enterprise in meeting the challenges of the 'New Normal' economy," said Andrew K. Reese, editorial director of Supply & Demand Chain Executive. "Our annual Pros to Know listing highlights many of these outstanding executives and their accomplishments, and it offers a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage."
Nature's Best Senior Vice President Brian McCarthy and his team implemented supply chain optimization solutions within a new facility to help improve overall efficiency, a key challenge in a food distribution industry that has very slim margins. Nature's Best has seen substantial results following implementation, including a 75 percent reduction in product handling by staff, 66 percent labor reduction, a 114 percent increase in productivity, and an 11 percent increase in on-time deliveries. In addition, the company also saved around $100K in fleet costs. To read a case study about Nature's Best, please visit .
As Urban Outfitters' Director of supply chain systems, Mike Sparks has been responsible for ensuring the overall success of the supply chain during a strong period of growth. A true multi-channel retailer, Urban Outfitters balances orders from retail stores, web sites and catalogs. As the company fulfills customer demand for specialized products, the ability to ship non-sortable items during high shipment times also provides a supply chain challenge. Under Sparks' leadership, Urban Outfitters has seen a 35 percent reduction in total labor, an 80 percent reduction in manifesting and invoicing processes, a 66 percent reduction in turn time through receiving and a 60 percent rise in putaway efficiency. Please visit to read a case study about Urban Outfitters' supply chain benefits.
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About Manhattan Associates, Inc.
Manhattan Associates continues to deliver on its 21-year heritage of providing global supply chain excellence to more than 1,200 customers worldwide that consider supply chain optimization core to their strategic market leadership. The company's supply chain innovations include: Manhattan SCOPE® a portfolio of software solutions and technology that leverages a Supply Chain Process Platform to help organizations optimize their supply chains from planning through execution; Manhattan SCALE™, a portfolio of distribution management and transportation management solutions built on Microsoft .NET technology; and Manhattan Carrier™ , a suite of supply chain solutions specifically addressing the needs of the motor carrier industry. For more information, please visit .
CONTACT: Will Haraway Manhattan Associates, Inc. (678) 597.7466 wharaway@manh.com Jason Dananay Porter Novelli 312-856-8828 jason.dananay@porternovelli.com