IBM packs more punch with extended Express Advantage programme for manufacturing SMEs

The giant has also just announced a range of new technology offerings to address customer security, business recovery, employee collaboration and energy efficiency. It’s all part of IBM’s Express Advantage, which includes the technology offerings along with financing options via IBM business partners, which it describes as offering “an end-to-end approach to helping mid-sized customers increase efficiency, innovate and grow”. IBM backs up the value of its approach by citing a recent IBM survey of 1,200 mid-market customers, which revealed that nearly two-thirds plan more than one business model change over the next two years. The company says that its newly launched industry solutions, which specifically include Lawson, Oracle and SAP ERP applications, will help customers address these issues: The new packages are: IBM Express Fashion and Apparel Solution for Lawson M3; IBM Express Food and Beverage Solution for Lawson M3; IBM Express Industrial Manufacturing Solution for Oracle E-Business Suite; IBM Express Food & Beverage Solution for Oracle’s JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; IBM Express Automotive Supplier Solution, a qualified SAP All-in-One solution; and IBM Express Chemical Solution, another qualified SAP All-in-One solution. As for the business technology packs, they are: IBM Recovery Express, described as a pre-packaged data centre disaster recovery solution; Rational Build Forge Express Edition, focused on improving employee collaboration during the software development process; IBM BladeCenter S Express, claimed to be an energy efficient system to help mid-market firms simplify technology management; and IBM Proventia Network Security Express suite, a pre-emptive network security solution from IBM Internet Security Systems (ISS). IBM reckons its Built on Express Advantage programme recently passed the 1,200 mark for deployed systems – almost doubling since the beginning of 2007.