CGT reveals Business & Technology leadership award winners

On October 26, 2010, at the 2010 Business & Technology Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) recognized nine consumer goods companies with industry awards for effectively evolving their business and technology strategies to match new market trends.

2010 Business & Technology Leadership Award winners

SMB AWARD: Project 7 Inc.
Presented to a small to mid-size consumer goods firm (under $1 billion in annual revenue) that is best utilizing technology to achieve substantial growth in size and/or revenue.

This is consumer packaged goods capitalism with a conscience at its finest. Project 7 Inc. sells bottled water, gum, mints and t-shirts, and then donates more than 50 percent of its profits to help seven critical areas of need in the world: 1. House the Homeless 2. Feed the Hungry 3. Save the Earth 4. Help those in Need 5. Build the Future 6. Hope for Peace 7. Heal the Sick. Project 7 scored the water contract for Caribou Coffee in place of Coca-Cola and replaced Caribou’s branded gum and mints with Project 7 products. Its next big goal is to “make above our $105,000 donation minimum and helping to continue partner with great nonprofits that are helping ‘change the score’ in the 7 areas of need,” says Tyler Merrick, founder, Project 7 Inc.

CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT AWARD: Anheuser-Busch InBev
Presented to a consumer goods firm that is best leveraging a solution to manage customer relationships, trade promotion, marketing and/or consumer insights.

Working with Spring Wireless, the company implemented a fully mobile enterprise applications platform for more than 4,500 mobile users in Brazil and Belgium in field sales, field services and DSD. As a result, Anheuser-Busch InBev saw positive cash flow by the third month, and ROI was achieved in six months.

DICK CLARK SUPPLY CHAIN AWARD: Newell Rubbermaid
Named in honor of the supply chain visionary, this award is presented to a consumer goods firm for excellence in executing improvements in supply or demand planning, warehouse management, transportation management, S&OP processes or supply chain network design.

Early in 2008, improving S&OP was identified as a key priority for Newell Rubbermaid. Inventory growth had outpaced sales over the previous 3 years, inventory turns were down by 25 percent, forecast accuracy was well below best-in-class levels, and working capital as a percentage of sales ranked at the bottom of its peer group. In response, a global S&OP improvement initiative was launched. The initiative has delivered double-digit decreases in inventory, significant increases in forecast accuracy, higher inventory turns and various other benefits throughout the business. The improved S&OP process also helped cash flow, generating 30 percent more cash in 2009 for a total of $603M despite one of the most challenging business environments in a generation. Now entering its second major phase, the S&OP improvement initiative at Newell Rubbermaid will take advantage of the strong foundation built so far to enable rapid improvements in related areas such as forecasting, inventory optimization, and overall supply chain responsiveness.

Congratulations from the i-Procure.com team to the award winners!
More info about the awards: www.consumergoods.com »