Microsoft SQL Server
Customer Solution Case Study
Global Consumer Goods Manufacturer Gains
Value from Enterprise Resource Planning
Overview “Because of the close alignment of the Epicor solution
Country or Region: United States
Industry: Consumer goods manufacturing
with Microsoft products, we have extended the use of
information in the Epicor solution to a wide audience
Customer Profile
Energizer Holdings makes batteries,
in our organization.”
flashlights, and other consumer goods Randy Benz, Chief Information Officer, Energizer Holdings
under brands including Energizer,
Eveready, and Playtex. Based in St. Louis, Energizer Holdings manufactures batteries, flashlights, and other
Missouri, its revenues are U.S.$4.3 billion.
consumer products that are sold in more than 160 countries.
Business Situation Operating in diverse types of markets, Energizer needed a low-cost,
Energizer wanted an enterprise resource
planning (ERP) system that was localized, easy-to-use enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution
inexpensive to deploy, localized for its for some of its global locations. It chose a solution from Epicor, a
various global markets, and easy for
employees to use. Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner. Energizer implemented the Epicor
solution for one-third to one-half the cost of a typical ERP system.
Solution
Energizer implemented an ERP solution The solution came ready to handle country-specific languages,
from Epicor, a Microsoft® Gold Certified regulations, and controls. It is tightly integrated with Microsoft
Partner. The solution tightly integrates with
Microsoft programs including Microsoft products, which means that Energizer employees can access its
SQL Server and Microsoft Office information in the Microsoft tools they use every day. Energizer also
Professional 2007
gained a productive partnership with the Epicor product
Benefits development group and has used the Epicor solution‟s
Less than half the deployment cost of a
typical ERP system enhancements to improve its decision making.
Localization out of the box
Expanded audience for information
Productive ongoing relationship
Better decisions
“Over time, the core Situation
Energizer Holdings, Inc., is one of the world‟s However, many Energizer subsidiaries and
capabilities of the Epicor largest makers of consumer batteries and divisions around the world were using
solution have grown flashlights. Its products, sold under the differing local ERP systems. This led to
Energizer and Eveready brands, include difficulty in aggregating critical business
right along with our batteries for everyday use as well as high- information across markets and to
needs.” tech, specialized, and hearing-aid batteries. redundant, nonproductive support costs.
The company‟s other branded products
Randy Benz, Chief Information Officer, include Wilkinson Sword wet-shave products, To address these issues, beginning in the late
Energizer Holdings Playtex feminine care products, and Banana 1990s, Energizer sought to implement a two-
Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sun care products. tiered ERP strategy, running SAP at its
Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, headquarters but also using a standardized
Energizer operates 23 manufacturing and tier II solution at the various smaller global
packaging facilities through subsidiaries in locations.
14 countries on five continents. Its 2008
revenues were U.S.$4.3 billion. Energizer had three primary goals in this
effort. The first was localization. Benz
“Our products are sold in more than 160 explains, “Although it is arguable that core
countries,” says Randy Benz, Chief business processes are very similar across
Information Officer at Energizer. “We have the globe, there are many nuances in
high-volume markets in Western Europe and statutory requirements, tax rules, and
North America that are dominated by business customs across markets. We
sophisticated modern retailers that buy wanted a product that already allowed for the
truckloads of products at a time. We also majority of these local practices.”
have markets in emerging economies, where
we deliver a few consumer units at a time on The second goal was that the solution be
a route system to very small kiosk retailers.” easy to install and configure. “We wanted to
avoid the typical ERP implementation, where
Thus, Energizer revenues at the individual you spend ten times as much on integration
country level vary from single-digit millions to as you do on purchasing the software itself,”
more than a billion. Planning for such a Benz says.
variable environment requires a sophisticated
approach to enterprise resource planning The third goal was that the solution be user-
(ERP). Benz says, “We learned the hard way friendly. “We wanted a solution that was
that you can‟t serve this diverse business intuitive, so it would be easy for our users to
with a „one size fits all‟ ERP strategy.” learn and make the most of,” says Benz. “We
couldn‟t afford to have a high level of support
Energizer uses many Microsoft products, on the ground across all of our markets.”
including the Business Productivity Online
Standard Suite from Microsoft Online Solution
Services, which includes Microsoft Exchange In the mid-1990s, Energizer was positioning
Server 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint® some start-up businesses in Eastern Europe.
Server 2007, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, For an ERP system there, it turned to Epicor—
Microsoft Office Communications Server a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner based in
2007, and Microsoft SQL Server®. The Irvine, California—which provides ERP
company is quite happy with its Microsoft systems to more than 20,000 global
infrastructure.
“We found that the all-in customers, making it the world‟s sixth-largest The Epicor solution functioned well in its first
independent software vendor. Energizer installments in Eastern Europe.
cost of deploying the Energizer then used the Epicor solution as an
Epicor solution was The Epicor solution is built on a service- integral part of its ERP strategy, gradually
oriented architecture using Web services. replacing outdated systems worldwide. In
somewhere in the range “What we‟ve done is to create tier I many cases, Energizer used the services of
of one-third to one-half functionality at a low total cost of ownership,” Epicor consultants or partners in far-flung
says Adam Prince, Senior Director of Product markets. “We used them extensively under
the cost of a typical „big Marketing at Epicor. “A company like different circumstances,” says Benz. “They‟ve
iron‟ ERP.” Energizer needs all the functionality it gets done a nice job of working with our core team
out of its tier I solution in its tier II solution as to transfer the knowledge that we need in
Randy Benz, Chief Information Officer, well.” order to have a stand-alone solution in most
Energizer Holdings cases.”
Epicor has customers in more than 160
countries and has focused on making its Today the Epicor solution supports Energizer
solution work effectively in each of these operations in 28 countries in Asia, Eastern
local markets. Furthermore, the Epicor Europe, and Latin America.
solution is highly integrated with Microsoft
products. Benefits
By selecting the Epicor solution, Energizer
Microsoft integration is especially important gained a low-cost localized ERP that is easy
at Energizer as it is a significant part of the to use. Microsoft integration expands the
company‟s infrastructure. In addition to the audience for ERP data. In a productive
Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, ongoing relationship with Epicor, Energizer
Energizer benefits from the increased has been able to use the ERP solution to
performance and scalability of SQL Server make better business decisions.
which enables efficient analysis of data using
Microsoft Office PerformancePoint™ Services Less Than Half the Deployment Cost of a
business intelligence software, Excel and Typical ERP System
Outlook. The flexibility of SQL Server provides The initial benefit that Energizer realized was
Energizer with the ability to draw from any a low cost of deployment for the Epicor ERP
number of data sources on multiple solution. “We found that the all-in cost of
platforms, in support of real-time data, deploying the Epicor solution was somewhere
making it possible to reliably manage its in the range of one-third to one-half the cost
diverse business efficiently. of a typical „big iron‟ ERP,” says Benz. Noting
that many of these early deployments came
Each of these Microsoft products seamlessly in the 1990s, he adds, “That saved us
combines with the Epicor solution. For millions during the Y2K period alone.”
example, an Epicor portal brings business
intelligence to a SharePoint site where users In the years since then, as Energizer has
can easily view it without having to access the expanded its use of the Epicor solution, the
ERP solution. Furthermore, an Epicor solution has also added features. Benz says,
component called Epicor Information Worker “With the solution‟s new features, we can
runs in Microsoft Office Professional 2007, deploy more sophisticated practices in many
so users can grab ERP data from the office of our stand-alone markets. So I think it is
productivity applications they use every day. arguable that that ratio has remained intact.
Quite simply, the Epicor solution has proven grown and our business practices have
to be a great path to value.” become far more sophisticated using the
Epicor solution.” Thus the company‟s ERP
Localization out of the Box needs have evolved. Benz says, “We‟ve
The Epicor solution is localized for use worked closely with the Epicor product team
around the globe with little input required. to help them understand our needs and to
Out of the box, the solution works in more help them evolve their solution to give it
than 30 languages and is set up with country- enhanced features that Epicor can then
specific regulations and controls. It handles market to a range of customers.”
local legal, fiscal, and statutory requirements
with no extra configuration required. For example, Benz cites advanced supply
planning capabilities that Energizer is using in
“Our biggest concern was getting a product some key Asian markets. “We‟ve worked with
that could adjust to our many diverse Epicor to design and deploy these
markets,” Benz says. “The Epicor solution has capabilities, which we believe will benefit
exceeded our expectations in that regard.” many Epicor customers,” Benz says.
“Over time, the core Expanded Audience for Information At Epicor, Prince is pleased but not surprised
“We chose the Epicor solution because of its by Benz‟s comments. “That‟s not unusual for
capabilities of the Epicor localization, ease of deployment, and ease of Epicor. We really do take into consideration
solution have grown use,” says Benz, who notes that his what customers are looking for, and we work
colleagues have adapted quickly to the that into future releases as much as
right along with our solution. “It‟s logically organized and has a possible.”
needs.” simple, intuitive interface that closely
parallels the structure of many Microsoft Benz concludes, “Our long-term partnership
Randy Benz, Chief Information Officer, tools that people use every day in their jobs.” with the Epicor R&D group is one of the best
Energizer Holdings Employees find the solution easy to use, and examples of a „win-win‟ relationship that I
the IT department finds it easy to support. know. I would sum it up as a mutual desire
for success: they want us to be successful
Benz adds, “In recent years, we‟ve discovered and happy with their products; we want them
another reason to stay with the Epicor to be wildly successful as well. I think that‟s
solution: its integration with Microsoft what a true partnership is supposed to be
products.” He explains, “Microsoft is a key like.”
strategic partner for us, not only on the
desktop with Windows® and Office, but on the Better Decisions
server side with products such as SQL Server, At Energizer, initial attention to the Epicor
SharePoint Server 2007 and ERP solution was focused on transactional
PerformancePoint Services. Because of the processes. However, once the company
close alignment of the Epicor solution with reached a level of standardization in the
Microsoft products familiar to most of our transactional area, Benz says, “We turned our
employees, we have extended the use of attention to making better decisions based
information in the Epicor solution to a wide on the information stored in the system.”
audience in our organization.”
For example, Energizer used the business
Productive Ongoing Relationship intelligence functions of the Epicor solution,
“Over time,” says Benz, “in many of the SQL Server, PerformancePoint Services, Excel
markets that we serve, our business has and SharePoint Server to study customer and
For More Information product profitability to better shape go-to- Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
For more information about Microsoft market tactics. Energizer is also deploying For more information about the Microsoft
products and services, call the Microsoft supply chain practices to better plan and server product portfolio, go to:
Sales Information Center at (800) 426- coordinate production and distribution in www.microsoft.com/servers/default.mspx
9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft individual markets.
Canada Information Centre at (877) 568- Microsoft SQL Server
2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of- “Over time, the core capabilities of the Epicor Microsoft SQL Server provides a scalable
hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone solution have grown right along with our Business Intelligence platform optimized
(TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in needs,” says Benz. “It‟s a journey, to be sure, for data integration, reporting, and
the United States or (905) 568-9641 in but we‟re well on our way to better decisions analysis, enabling organizations to deliver
Canada. Outside the 50 United States and and fact-based execution.” intelligence where users want it.
Canada, please contact your local
Microsoft subsidiary. To access information For more information about SQL Server, go
using the World Wide Web, go to: to:
www.microsoft.com www.microsoft.com/sqlserver
For more information about Epicor
products and services, call (949) 585-
4000 or visit the Web site at:
www.epicor.com
For more information about Energizer
Holdings products and services, call (800)
383-7323 or visit the Web site at:
www.energizer.com
Software and Services Epicor ERP Solution
Products
− Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Partners
− Microsoft Office Professional 2007 Epicor
− Microsoft Office PerformancePoint
Services
− Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
2007
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS
SUMMARY.
Document published January 2009