Global Welding, Cutting and Consumables Provider Seeks Greater Supply Chain Efficiency and Improved Customer Service

PARIS and BOSTON(Oct, 25, 2005) - Air Liquide Welding, a leader in supplying welding and cutting equipment and consumables has selected supply chain design and inventory optimization leader Optiant to eliminate excess inventory without compromising customer service levels. The award-winning PowerChain® Suite will provide Air Liquide Welding with a comprehensive supply chain design and multi-echelon inventory optimization solution for designing and implementing world-class operational strategies, thus ensuring the right amount of inventory is at the right locations across Air Liquide Welding’s entire operation.

Present in 65 countries, Air Liquide Welding offers innovative solutions and constantly enhanced technologies that enable its customers to manufacture many indispensable everyday products. Teaming with Air Liquide’s Welding supply chain organization, Optiant will model existing supply chains for all the products being produced and distributed worldwide and identify opportunities for reducing inventory levels throughout the supply chain.

"Continually improving our supply chain is critical to ensuring we are fulfilling our customers' needs and maintaining our competitive edge," said Eric Charlier, vice president of Supply Chain, based at Air Liquide Welding in Cergy-Pontoise, France. "Our commitment to technology has kept Air Liquide Welding at the forefront of the high-tech business. The combination of Optiant's proven value in tackling the challenges we face and the team's clear understanding of our unique situation was a decisive factor in our selection."

Building on its presence in Europe, Optiant is focused on working with manufacturers to streamline and optimize their unique and very complex supply chains. "Air Liquide Welding is a very innovative company – from the solutions it creates and delivers to how it manages its business," said Matthew Menner, Optiant's senior vice president. "We look forward to providing the technology that will set a new standard of excellence for its supply chain."