Managing Mobile Assets without the Paperwork; RedPrairie and BT to offer next generation mobile asset management for businesses using the latest RFID technology

Many businesses operate fleets of high-value mobile assets such as totes, roll-cages, trailers, beer kegs and medical equipment. Keeping track of these assets as they move between sites can be a real headache. Businesses often waste valuable time and resources in searching for assets whose location or status is unknown and as a result carry substantial buffer stocks to address typical annual losses of 10-40 percent per annum. Increasingly, organisations are also under pressure to meet tough corporate and regulatory governance standards in which effective asset and equipment management is required.

New technology now makes managing mobile assets substantially easier and more affordable. By attaching RFID tags to the assets and placing RFID readers that are connected to the internet in fixed locations in the physical environment, businesses now just need to access a web screen to find out where valuable resources are located and to build location, status and maintenance audit trails. Alerts can be set up to highlight critical events such as assets not being returned to base or serviced at the right time. This is all done at the touch of a button and with no manual intervention.

Martin Hiscox, EMEA Leader, RedPrairie comments, "The savings can be huge. We've deployed mobile asset management at one North American client and reduced the average time taken to find mission critical equipment from 61 minutes to 8 minutes, giving a net saving on wages alone of over $200K annually."

RedPrairie has chosen to work with BT to offer mobile asset management as a managed service. BT will install, manage and maintain RFID tags and readers, undertake site engineering work and host RedPrairie's Mobile Resource Management software (MRM). RedPrairie will configure its MRM software for individual customer requirements.

"By combining BT's engineering resource, proven expertise in radio frequency identification (RFID) and market-leading Auto-ID data management platform, with our application, we are able to offer our customers a simple, quick, low cost way of managing assets without the paperwork," says Hiscox. "The great thing about offering asset management as a managed service with BT is that we are able to offer our customers a complete solution for a fixed fee or on a per asset, per month basis."

Ross Hall, CEO, Auto-ID Services, BT comments "In today's digital networked economy, an efficient supply-chain underpins relationships with partners and customers. Being able to track valuable assets, particularly those that are moved frequently from location to location, is therefore vital. RFID technology is a proven and reliable data capture tool. By using it to empower asset management systems with accurate and timely information, businesses will be able to save both time and money. BT is delighted to be working with RedPrairie as a leader in RFID enabled applications in this area."

About BT Auto ID Services

BT Auto-ID Services is a market leader in the provision of complete, scalable and affordable Automatic Identification solutions including RFID and barcoding. As part of the BT Retail business, it combines the resources of a large corporation with the agility and flexible approach of a new technology start-up.

The BT Auto-ID Platform managed service is helping customers manage inventory control, increase sales, provide electronic proof of delivery, and comply with mandatory track, trace and authenticate requirements throughout the supply chain.

For further information, visit www.auto-id.bt.com

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.

BT consists principally of three lines of business:

-- BT Retail, providing a comprehensive range of communications and related services to more than 20m UK consumers and businesses.

-- BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK to more than 600 fixed and mobile operators and service providers including the provision of broadband and private circuits.

-- BT Global Services, providing networked IT services to meet the needs of multi-site organisations globally. BT Global Services operates in more than 130 countries and also offers international carrier services.

In the year ended 31 March 2005, BT Group's turnover was GBP 18,623 million with profit before goodwill amortization, exceptional items and taxation of GBP 2,085 million. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

About RedPrairie Corporation

For over 30 years RedPrairie has enabled leading global companies to create competitive advantage through supply chain excellence. RedPrairie's comprehensive technology solutions provide rapid and sustainable return on investment by optimizing the performance of people, places and processes.

RedPrairie provides industry-tailored solutions for diverse markets, including consumer goods, direct to consumer and traditional retail, food and beverage, high tech / electronics, third party logistics, industrial / wholesale, automotive and service parts, and pharmaceuticals.

For additional information, call 1.877.733.7724, or access www.RedPrairie.com.

RedPrairie, DigitaLogistix and DLx are registered trademarks of RedPrairie Corporation.

(C) 2005 RedPrairie Corporation. All Rights Reserved.