MARKS WORK WEARHOUSE CHOOSES IGEL CLEVER CLIENTS

Linux brings down TCO across Marks by 50% and reduces time and cost of store openings by 30%

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) July 23, 2003 -- IGEL Technology, the worlds leading manufacturer of Linux-based Clever Clients, has provided Marks Work Wearhouse with several enterprise-wide solutions based on IGEL Embedded Flash Linux, including new IGEL Thin Client Terminals, upgrade kits for Marks existing IBM NetVista 2800 thin client equipment and IGEL IDE thin client cards for PC based platforms.

Mark's Work Wearhouse is Canada's largest retailer of unisex apparel, and operates more than 300 stores across Canada, including L'Equipeur stores in Quebec. Marks was acquired by Canadian Tire in February 2002.

Robin Lynas, CIO at Marks said, Our search for a successful point-of-sale (POS) solution began four years ago. We had older equipment, a 5250 emulation green screen connected to an AS/400 at each store, and we wanted a technology that was going to have more longevity," he said. "At that time, everyone was starting to throw their weight behind Java, so we started to look at some Java POS solutions."

Marks chose an industrial-strength Java POS software solution from Retek. They are now running RPOS live in 250 stores, and have realized substantial operating improvements by leveraging its Java-based, Linux architecture.

The next step for the company was the floor and back office platform-- Marks chose an industrial strength, Linux powered solution from IGEL Technology that would prove as solid and modular as the Java based software that it would support. The software development work that IGEL has performed for us is the 'icing on the cake," said Lynas. They have taken our needs and delivered exactly what we want.

Every machine now has an identical Linux operating system, which includes Mozilla.orgs Firebird Browser technology, emulators for AS 400 connectivity, Citrix ICA client, and RDP.

All this means we now have great TCO -- I have only one Linux support person for the whole chain and everything looks the same, is easy to maintain and support and whats more, theres no retraining needed for my users," said Lynas. As the IGEL software solutions work so well on the IBM hardware platforms, including some of the newer POS devices, we are looking forward to even more efficient TCO and performance."

We brought our first store live in only four months and have reduced POS store opening costs by 30% and maintenance costs by 50% with dramatically improved customer and employee satisfaction within our pilot stores," he said. Marks will roll out the RPOS into the more than 60 remaining stores, and there are also plans to open 27 new stores next year. By the end of its five-year strategic plan, Marks Work Wearhouse will have more than 450 stores.

Steve Earle, President of IGELs US Operations, said the solution at Marks is a perfect example of IGELs Clever Clienting approach. With IGEL Linux installed across the enterprise, Marks have an identical, standards-based operating system which can be managed by our IGEL Remote Management and Profiling (RMP) software. Its a pragmatic approach that delivers benefits well into the future."

About Marks Work Wearhouse
Mark's Work Wearhouse is Canada's largest supplier of unisex apparel, offering an extensive collection of business casual, weekend, work wear and accessories for men and women between the ages of 25 and 60. Mark's Work Wearhouse operates more than 300 stores across Canada including L'Equipeur stores in Quebec. Marks was acquired by Canadian Tire in February 2002. www.marks.com

About IGEL Technology:

IGEL Technology is the fastest growing, full-service, Thin Client brand in the global server based computing market and the worlds leading manufacturer of Linux Clever Clienting. IGEL Clever Clienting is a SOLUTION that puts an IDENTICAL, managed, open source operating system - IGEL Linux - on every device in the desktop, mobile or handheld space, from Thin Client to PC and from Laptop to PDA.

IGEL Technology is synonymous with high quality, performance and reliability - key factors in the successful implementation of fully managed server based systems. IGEL Technology is a member of the 200 year-old MELCHERS group, and registers the IGEL® Thin Client Computing brand, Clever Clienting and its IGEL Embedded Flash Linux operating system world-wide. For further information go to www.igeltechnology.com.

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