DUBLIN, Calif. and SYDNEY, Australia--Media OutReach--3 September, 2013 -- Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, announced Waterco (ASX: WAT), a leading Australian-based manufacturer and distributor, has selected the Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to improve processes across global operations and to support growth in multiple regions.  

Waterco manufactures and distributes a diverse range of products for the international swimming pool, spa and water treatment markets. The company delivers water treatment pumps and filtration systems, solar pool heating, chemicals and swimming pool and spa accessories to over 40 countries worldwide. Waterco has its head office in Sydney, Australia with international offices, manufacturing plants and warehouses located in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, China, Canada, France, the US and UK.

"The international presence of Epicor played an important role in the selection process, as we needed to ensure that the system could work with local laws and taxes," said Bryan Goh, group marketing director, Waterco. "It was also very important that we had localised support if we needed any help with these issues -- wherever Waterco had an office, Epicor also had an office in the same location."

Epicor demonstrated the ability to handle Waterco's business requirements -- from manufacturing in Malaysia, to distribution and sales in Sydney. Waterco required an ERP system which could provide visibility over inventory and stock levels across multiple sites. In addition, the company will use Epicor to run sales, accounts receivable, accounts payable, light manufacturing, purchasing, distribution and finance. Business information systems and IT consultancy Biscit Pty Ltd, a member of the Epicor Inspired Partner Network, is assisting Waterco with its ERP implementation in Australia and New Zealand, while the Malaysian implementation was managed directly by the Epicor professional services team.

"The system is being rolled out globally, and has already been implemented in Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, and will be implemented in China, Canada, the US and UK," said Bryan Goh. "We looked at all the ERP systems available on the market and went through a long process of workshops and evaluations of our company's needs.  We chose Epicor for its ability to better support a manufacturer with a vertical structure like our own -- because of its strengths in this area, we believed Epicor was the best fit for Waterco."

Epicor ERP first phase "go live" on time and on budget

"We have successfully completed the project on time," said Shane Goh, Waterco's manager for special projects IT. "The entire process was very well planned by the Biscit team. The implementation was broken down into several stages of which the main stages were installation of hardware, analysis and design of the system, data migration, system implementation, user training, pilot system and execution for go live."

Shane Goh continued, "We could see Epicor's strength in manufacturing and especially liked the resource planning and 'what-if' scenarios Epicor could provide for our manufacturing team. For sales, we could see the benefit in the dashboards and business intelligence and also appreciated how we could use Epicor as a platform to build a future information portal for our customers."

With the first phase of the project complete, Waterco has built a base for further growth and continued improvement of internal processes. "We now have the ability to begin building reports and dashboards to extract meaningful information that will allow our guys to make business decisions," said Bryan Goh. "Epicor will improve the overall efficiency of the company. For example, we will be able to better manage our inventory to ensure that we have sufficient stock to meet our customer's requirements, without being overstocked with the wrong mix of goods. Likewise, we will be better equipped to provide our customers with more information on back orders and the status of their current orders."

Bryan Goh concluded, "Epicor ERP will improve overall customer experience with sales force automation and customer relationship management capabilities that will provide our external and internal sales team with all the required information to better serve our customers."  

"We congratulate Waterco and the Biscit team on a successful implementation, delivered on time and on budget," said Craig Charlton, senior vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific for Epicor. "Our strength across multiple verticals and geographies, and combined knowledge across manufacturing and distribution were key factors in the selection of Epicor ERP; we look forward to a continuing partnership with Waterco to support business efficiency and growth across its multisite, multinational operations."

Follow Epicor on Twitter @Epicor, @EpicorUK, @EpicorEMEA, @EpicorANZ, @EpicorLAC, @Epicor_Retail, @Epicor_DIST and Facebook. 

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  About Epicor Software CorporationEpicor Software Corporation is a global leader delivering inspired business software solutions to the manufacturing, distribution, retail and services industries. With over 40 years of experience serving small, midmarket and larger enterprises, Epicor has more than 20,000 customers in over 150 countries. Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP), retail management software, supply chain management (SCM), and human capital management (HCM) enable companies to drive increased efficiency and improve profitability. With a history of innovation, industry expertise and passion for excellence, Epicor provides the single point of accountability that local, regional and global businesses demand. The Company’s headquarters are located in Dublin, California, with offices and affiliates worldwide. For more information, visit www.epicor.com.

Epicor and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor Software Corporation.