HCKT Hackett Group Inc

Answerthink, the SAP division of The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT), today announced the successful go-live implementation of EzLifeSciencesTM, a qualified SAP� Business All-in-One partner solution, at Sysmex America, the U.S. headquarters for Sysmex Corporation, a leading international manufacturer of diagnostic systems for medical laboratories worldwide. Sysmex America is located in Mundelein, IL, and is involved in the development of clinical laboratory testing devices, reagents and software for hematology, homeostasis, and urinalysis. Their business model includes the direct sales or lease of large laboratory equipment, the sale reagent stream used for testing, control material for quality assurance as well as field service, service parts, and support for the Sysmex laboratory systems. Sysmex America decided to implement the SAP ERP Release 6.0 application and contracted Answerthink, Inc. to lead and co-manage the implementation. The SAP implementation project focused on Sysmex�s core business functions of human resources, finance, sales, service, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and business warehousing. In an effort to meet the significant scope and accelerated implementation time line, Sysmex selected Answerthink to leverage its EzLifeSciences qualified SAP All-in-One partner solution. According to Sysmex America CFO Jeff Black, �Sysmex has achieved rapid, organic growth during the past few years. So we needed a robust ERP solution to integrate our financial and supply chain processes between our division and our parent corporation. As well, we needed the flexibility to expand our portfolio and grow into new markets such as Canada. EzLifeSciences will provide us with a single, comprehensive view of all of our critical business processes.� EzLifeSciences is an industry-specific offering from Answerthink based on best practices from SAP and customized for life sciences companies like Sysmex America. It provides the benefits of an end-to-end solution designed specifically to help life sciences companies achieve goals such as streamlining new product development and automating the processes required for FDA approvals and regulatory compliance. Using EzLifeSciences, Sysmex America went live on time and on budget. �Sysmex America required a platform that met local as well as global needs that could grow with our changing business requirements,� said Judy Bosko, VP of Operations and IT for Sysmex America. �Answerthink was selected due to their expertise in quickly implementing baseline SAP solution-based functionality for companies within the life sciences arena.� According to Answerthink SAP Solutions Senior Director Michael Greene, �We were delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Sysmex in this critical business endeavor. Without the use of our EzLifeSciences solution, we could have never achieved what we collectively did in such a short period of time. The combination of our solution and the dedicated team members from both organizations were the keys to success. Coupled with solutions from SAP, Sysmex is now well-positioned to assume the growth it anticipates in the years to come.� About Answerthink Answerthink (www.answerthink.com), has achieved gold-level status as an SAP channel partner that develops and offers qualified SAP Business All-in-One partner solutions � industry-specific software, implementation, and training packaged solutions.. By leveraging the best practices database of The Hackett Group, Answerthink�s help clients improve performance and maximize returns on SAP software investments. Answerthink is a division of The Hackett Group and has offices in the United States and India. About Sysmex Sysmex America, Inc., the U.S. headquarters of Sysmex Corporation (Kobe, Japan), is a world leader in clinical laboratory systemization and solutions, including clinical diagnostics, automation and information systems. Serving customers for over 35 years, Sysmex focuses on extending the boundaries of diagnostic science while providing the management information tools that make a real difference in clinical and operational results for people worldwide. For more information about Sysmex, please visit www.sysmex.com/usa. SAP and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries. EzLifeSciences is a trademark of Answerthink.