October 20th, 2016

Varner Accelerates with Centric Software

CAMPBELL, Calif., October 20, 2016 – Varner, one of the leading apparel groups in Scandinavia with fourteen brand and retail concepts, announces a successful go live of their Centric Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) project for the jersey and underwear divisions of the Cubus ladies brand and their coats and Jersey divisions at Dressmann. Centric Software is the leading PLM solution for fashion, retail, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods companies.

With a presence in eight European countries and headcount of approximately 11,000 people, Varner still maintains a close-knit corporate culture. Varner encourages the cross-pollination of team members, using experienced design and development professionals to help grow new brands and create new retail experiences.

“In the short time since we began working with Centric, Varner has already launched one new brand, called A-Z, bringing over expert resources from other concepts to secure our success,” says Ole Martin Holt-Jacobsen, Head of Business Applications. “Using the Centric PLM platform to optimize processes and standardize working environments across brands and product categories will make the process of starting a new brand more seamless in the future.”

As part of this culture of enthusiasm and experience, Varner has developed an initiative to cement these business-wide changes, referred to internally as “The Way We Work”. The two brands chosen for the first phase of the Centric PLM implementation were selected on the basis of their different markets and varied methods – making them ideal candidates for further standardization. Cubus sells clothing for men, women and children, and is one of Scandinavia’s largest fashion chains. Dressmann leads the regional market for menswear, with 380 stores in the Nordic countries, Germany and Austria.

“We share a common vision with Centric’s local and European experts – a passion for making complex processes as easy as possible with the right information available at the right time,” adds Øyvind Bustnes, Varner Retail CEO. “Our partnership with Centric is leading a perfectly-phased implementation. I am pleased that our long-held principles are being reflected in the way our users are adopting PLM.”

“The partnership between Centric and Varner is built on innovation, teamwork and expertise,” says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. “We are proud to play a key role in helping Varner streamline and accelerate operations laying the foundation for new brands and retail formats. We are thrilled to have delivered a successful implementation on time and under budget and look forward to continuing our partnership.”

Varner (www.varner.com)

Varner is one of Scandinavia’s leading textile companies, with close to 11,000 employees. Our 1,500 stores represent us in eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Poland, Germany and Austria. Varner is comprised of the concepts Bik Bok, Carlings, Cubus, Dressmann, Dressmann XL, Urban, Vivikes, Volt, Wow, Solo, Levi’s Store, Nike Store and Denim & Supply. Frank Varner founded the privately owned family business in 1962, which is now owned by the second and third generation, and led by Petter, Marius and Joakim Varner.

Centric Software, Inc. (www.centricsoftware.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley and offices in trend capitals around the world, Centric Software builds technologies for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods. Its flagship product lifecycle management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, business planning, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB packages extended PLM including innovative technology and key industry learnings tailored for small businesses.

Centric Software has received multiple industry awards, including the Frost & Sullivan Global Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Retail, Fashion and Apparel PLM. Red Herring named Centric to its Top 100 Global list in 2013 and 2015.

Centric is a registered trademark of Centric Software. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.