E-commerce software provider Intershop Communications announced the signing of software licensing and support agreements with Verdi-Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (the "United Services Union" or ver.di for short). In the future, Germany's largest trade union will use Intershop's Enfinity Suite 6 software to centralize core internal and external procurement processes online. The various ver.di organizations and associated/affiliated institutions will be able to order publications, promotional materials, and literature for the wider public over the Internet from a single source. The aim is to significantly improve distribution and logistics, while at the same time customizing operations to meet the specific needs of ver.di.
Numbering some 2.6 million members, ver.di claims to be the biggest trade union in the world. With its broad focus on the public sector, ver.di represents employees in more than 1,000 different occupations. The organizational structure is correspondingly complex, comprising multiple geographical levels and many specialist divisions. One of ver.di's key functions is to provide campaign information, print materials, other similar products, and relevant services to ver.di groups, individual members, and the German public.
"ver.di is another big-name public sector customer that has chosen Intershop software to meet its internal procurement needs," says Ralf Männlein, the member of Intershop's Executive Management Board responsible for sales and marketing. "This important new contract gets the year 2005 off to an excellent start for Intershop."
Deputy leader of ver.di Gerd Herzberg: "The Procurement Channel and Supplier Channel from Intershop's packaged Enfinity Suite 6 software will allow ver.di to save on resources by moving expensive, time-consuming internal procurement processes online."
