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Retail Solutions, Birmingham - 6th June 2006 - WorkPlace Systems plc, the leading supplier of Workforce Management solutions, has won the contract to supply its software to the Travis Perkins Group, a leading company in the Builders’ Merchanting and Home Improvement market, to help drive operational costs reduction and improve store productivity. The contract, which will include the 800+ Travis Perkins Group merchanting outlets as well as the 178 Wickes stores; and will manage upwards of 15,000 employees within the Group, will make it one of the largest implementations of Workforce Management in the UK.

Brian Baker, Divisional Director North, Wickes, who is sponsoring the project stated: “Wickes views the implementation of a Workforce Management system as one of the best ways to drive operational costs reduction, improved store productivity and Customer service. We were looking for a solution that could accommodate both the complexity and scale of the Travis Perkins business and WorkPlace proved it had such a system”.

The solution from WorkPlace comprises a comprehensive Workforce Management solution including Labour Budgeting, Forecasting, Scheduling, and Time and Attendance modules. In addition WorkPlace will develop a specific set of Labour Standards for Wickes and Travis Perkins, to create an accurate Operating Model that will improve the accuracy of Labour Budgets and Forecasts.

Travis Perkins chose WorkPlace as its supplier after a very competitive tender process. “The WorkPlace team impressed us with their professionalism and specialist commitment to Workforce Management. In particular they have a proven and demonstrable delivery capability in Retail and DIY. We believe that WorkPlace will deliver a successful long term solution to the Group” commented Frank Smith, Group IT Director, Travis Perkins.

Ian Lenagan, WorkPlace’s Chairman and CEO commented on the new contract, “We are delighted to have been chosen by the Travis Perkins Group over their current supplier, especially after one of the most rigorous and detailed tender processes. It demonstrates the capability of our company and software to solve the most complex of customer’s Workforce Management requirements and scale to a large number of outlets over and above any competitive vender. We look forward to partnering with Travis Perkins throughout the implementation and operation of their system.”

Travis Perkins plc is a leading company in the Builders’ Merchanting and Home Improvement Markets with more than 990 branches and stores nationwide.

Its merchanting branches supply more than 100,000 product lines to trade professionals and self-builders including general building materials, timber, plumbing & heating, kitchens, bathrooms, landscaping materials and tool hire, together with a wide range of services including its trade-dedicated website, Trademate.

Travis Perkins has been awarded National Builders’ Merchants of the Year on seven occasions and also been elected a 'Business Superbrand'; a leading brand in business-to-business trading and the company in the merchanting market to be honoured.

In February 2005, Travis Perkins acquired Wickes, a store group which is designed to appeal to serious DIY customers, who carry out more complex projects, and tradesmen, who undertake general repairs, maintenance and improvement projects for households.

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