Enterasys Networks Awarded Wawa Food Markets Contract to Deploy Major Network Infrastructure for Convenience Store Chain
Wawa, Inc. Improves Customer Convenience and Increases Productivity with Enterasys' Technology Solutions
|
|
ROCHESTER, NH-- December 3, 2002--Enterasys Networks Inc. (NYSE: ETS), a leading broadline provider of enterprise networking solutions, announced that it has been selected by Wawa, Inc., a privately-held company with approximately 550 convenience stores located throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, to supply a new state-of-the-art network infrastructure throughout its 550 store chain. More specifically, Wawa will be leveraging Enterasys' leading branch office routing, switching and wireless solutions to speed customer transactions, improve overall customer service, and increase corporate efficiency.
As a successful customer focused convenience store operator, Wawa's goals were to deliver the highest level of "convenience" for its customers while increasing each of their store's efficiency and productivity. Working with Enterasys and InfoSystems, Wawa is deploying Enterasys security routers, the XSR-1805, a state-of-the-art Frame Relay wide area network (WAN) and both a wired and wireless local area network (LAN) for each of its 550 stores to speed point of service transactions and data collection across its convenience store chain.
"It was obvious early on that Enterasys had the products and services to meet Wawa's business and technological needs. Enterasys stood out as a company that would be with us every step of the way. I have total confidence that Enterasys is by my side – on many occasion helping us stay in front of the ever changing technology – by helping to fix a problem or proactively addressing our needs," said Marty Maglio, Director of IT Architecture for Wawa Food Markets. "Built on proven technology and functionality, our solutions are designed to deliver real productivity gains to customers," said William K. O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Enterasys Networks. "Enterasys solutions will enable Wawa not only to deliver additional convenience to its customers, but also to improve productivity and network efficiency across their operations. We are very pleased to have been selected by Wawa and we look forward to continuing to work with them to provide business and technology solutions that help achieve their business goals."
Utilizing the XSR-1805, a desktop-mounted IP Security Router designed for branch locations and bundled with site-to-site and remote access VPN, the new frame relay WAN enabled the development of an IP-based credit authorization process that dramatically reduces credit card authorization time from 25 seconds to less than five seconds per transaction. The XSR's traffic prioritization features also ensure that Wawa's critical processes, such as credit card authorizations, are given precedence over other network traffic. In addition, the new WAN infrastructure facilitates the collection of daily sales records and inventory data from each of the company's stores. While the dial-up environment would take about six hours to process each night, the new WAN infrastructure takes significantly less time to poll store systems. Enterasys switches and RoamAbout wireless products provide reliable, mobile LAN connectivity within each store, supporting Customer Activated Terminals (CAT), a touch-screen terminal that customers use to place an order in the store's Food Service Area. The new system aids in the accuracy of customer orders and in tracking deli sales and inventory. Enterasys RoamAbout R2 Access Points support 802.11b wireless scanners used by the stores for goods receipt and inventory control.
The Enterasys solution, from routers to switches to wireless technology, was able to effectively address Wawa's complex needs. The entire network infrastructure is now standardized on Enterasys equipment, enabling the IT team to proactively monitor the network 24 x 7, ensure interoperability of products and manage every piece of equipment deployed at the store, down to the device level. "Our new network is the foundation of a number of significant initiatives that will come down the pike for Wawa and our IT team over the next few years. Today with Enterasys' solutions, we've dramatically improved the efficiencies of our operation. We've cut our communication time by half," continued Maglio. "The network sets the stage for our entire organization in the future. It will enable us to get to the point where we can implement web-based solutions for our stores, such as automated back-office systems and enable real-time data and analysis to both the store and corporate-level. Our vision is centered on web-based solutions; the new Enterasys network backbone will enable us to reach that goal."
About Enterasys Networks
Enterasys Networks is the Secure Networks Company, providing enterprise customers with innovative network infrastructure products, services and solutions that deliver the security, productivity and adaptability benefits required by Global 2000 organizations. For more information on Enterasys Secure Networks and the company's products, including multilayer switches, core routers, WAN routers, wireless LANs, network management, and intrusion defense systems, visit enterasys.com.
About Wawa, Inc.:
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a processing plant in Wawa, Pennsylvania, in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness, and "certified" process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960's, Grahame Wood, George's grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, the company operates more than 540 stores in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Learn more at www.wawa.com
About Info Systems, Inc.
Info Systems, Inc. is an $80 million technology infrastructure company. Info Systems has offices in Baltimore Maryland, Philadelphia & York Pennsylvania, Dover & Wilmington Delaware where the company is headquartered.