Packaged Goods
| 1. THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY At a recent shareholders meeting, P&G President and Chief Executive A. G. Lafley said, "We are now focused on delivering a full decade of industry-leading top and bottom line growth. We have the strategies, strengths and the structure to continue to transform our company in the face of unrelenting change and competition." Net sales have increased year-over-year since 2001. P&G's strategies are to continue to grow core businesses including leading brands in big growing developed and developing markets, and with winning retail customers around the world; develop faster-growing, higher-margin, more structurally attractive businesses in areas where it has significant potential to achieve global leadership businesses like beauty and health; and accelerate growth in developing markets and with low income consumers. The company's core strengths are shopper and consumer understanding, innovation, branding, go-to-market capability and global scale. 11. RECKITT BENCKISER A little over a year ago, Reckitt Benckiser implemented Sopheon's Accolade process and portfolio management system to provide an enterprise-wide platform and common process for new product development. The initial deployment spanned 40 countries and involved approximately 600 users in marketing, research and development, manufacturing, finance and executive management. Implementation of the software is an element of a larger strategy aimed at supporting the creation of new-to-theworld consumer products and minimizing the time required to bring those products to market. New product launches within the past 36 months accounted for almost 40 percent of the company's total net revenues. The new collaborative, Web-based environment allows cross functional teams that drive the company's innovation processes to work more efficiently and reduce the amount of time spent on administrative tasks. 14. JARDEN CORPORATION In 2005, two major acquisitions contributed to the company's tremendous growth: American Household and Holmes with brands such as Bionaire, First Alert, Mr. Coffee and Sunbeam. It operates in three business segments: Consumables, consumer solutions and outdoor solutions. While the new company isn't yet a household name, you likely know its brands. Going camping? You'll probably use many Jarden brands such as Diamond matches; Hoyle playing cards; and Coleman tents. Early in 2005, Jarden Home Brands and US Playing Card Company began a joint development initiative to share a unified enterprise resource planning software platform, utilizing the SAP system already inplace at Jarden Home Brands. The project team identified synergies and cost savings that could be achieved by sharing the same information technology platform, including reduced overhead costs and customized customer program solutions. The project successfully went live in March 2006. |  |