UCS Solutions and avision form intellectual property partnership

UCS Solutions, South Africa`s leading provider of technology and business solutions to the retail sector, has formed an intellectual property partnership with avision, the technology services arm of AVI. Through this partnership, UCS Solutions will share its expertise in supply chain and trade partner integration with avision, which will reciprocate in helping develop new understandings of how interaction between SA`s retailers and manufacturers can be improved. UCS Solutions will become an intellectual property partner with avision, and will become its technology services provider of choice where appropriate.

This agreement is arguably the first of its kind in South Africa, where two organisations partner with the intent of building intellectual capital. avision is the internal shared technology facility to improve the use of information by AVI group companies, which include South Africa`s leading FMCG manufacturers and distribution organisations: National Brands, I&J, Vector Logistics and Consol Glass. UCS Solutions is a leading technology and business solutions provider to the retail industry. This partnership will lead to better understanding of how the producers and the retailers of consumer goods can integrate their industries to improve efficiencies and lower costs, to the ultimate benefit of the companies and consumers.

Looking into the future, avision and UCS Solutions will be working to create imaginative new approaches to how retail, manufacture and logistics can come together. Creativity in this area are the hallmarks of many of the world`s business success stories: by consciously attacking problems with a revolutionary or disruptive approach, avision and UCS Solutions will drive new business innovation.

"avision now has flexible access to our ideas, our intellectual property, our people and our processes," says Richard Newton, CEO of UCS Solutions. "This framework of co-operation is a two-year commitment. Together we and avision will take risks and share intellectual property in return for business opportunities."

"UCS Solutions strengths are in retail, and it has major interfaces into retailers. It also has a significant positioning in SAP, enormous trade partner integration expertise, along with a similar operating model and challenges to avision," comments Peter Jordi, CIO of AVI Group. "For far too long retailers and manufacturers have had an arms-length relationship that begins and ends with product order and delivery. We want to bring South Africa up to scratch on international practices, and then surpass them to become pioneers in retailer/producer business efficiency. Ultimately this will bring long term economic benefits through lower costs and increased competitiveness."

The core of the agreement is that avision can leverage UCS Solutions` business and consultancy, and UCS Solutions has first option on services and consulting opportunities at AVI (provided that UCS is well positioned to provide those services, and that UCS is benchmarked in the industry).

"We can get a better understanding of branded consumer product manufacturers, and as a consequence become better at helping our customers in trade partner integration, where we optimise the supply chains, planning and communication between producers and retailers," says Newton.