Freeborders in Deals with Jos. A. Bank, J. Jill
San Francisco–based software company Freeborders Inc. has signed on retailers Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. and The J. Jill Group Inc. to implement its PLM (product lifecycle management) solutions, which allow retailers to collaborate with product development partners in the supply chain.
Hampstead, Md.–based menswear retailer Jos. A. Bank expects to standardize and accelerate its product-specification development process and improve product consistency and quality without increasing expenses by using Freeborders’ package, which includes product development management, design and specification modules.
The retailer operates 180 stores and plans to add 320 units by 2007. It will open 50 stores this year and up to 75 stores next year, said a company spokesperson.
Freeborders has completed a technology assessment for Quincy, Mass.–based womenswear retailer J. Jill and is moving forward with PLM implementation. J. Jill Chief Executive Officer Gordon R. Cooke said the company will roll out its PLM strategy over the next six to 18 months.
The goal, said Cooke, is “to define new ways to approach planning and product development, leveraging collaboration and new processes that we believe will reduce overall time to market, while improving costs, quality and consistency.”
Freeborders Chief Executive Officer Ramsey Walker said the company hopes to help J. Jill lower costs, improve speed and flexibility, and optimize inventory management while delivering more consistent, higher-quality products to the end consumer.
—Robert McAllister
