Press Releases

Unilever Selects Terra Technology's Demand Sensing Solution to Improve Supply Chain Visibility and Manufacturing Planning

March 23, 2009

Consumer products giant aims to achieve significant savings with U.S. rollout

 Norwalk, Conn., March 23, 2009 – Terra Technology (www.terratechnology.com), the most-trusted provider of demand sensing and inventory optimization software for consumer products companies, today announced that Unilever (NYSE: UL), one of the world's leading food, home and personal care product companies, has selected Terra's Demand Sensing (DS) solution to improve customer service and supply chain efficiency. Unilever anticipates decreasing forecast error more than 25 percent and reducing inventories and costs from the U.S. implementation. Rollout is expected to be complete by August 2009.

Doug Sloan, Director, Supply Chain Operations for Unilever U.S., said, "Unilever selected Terra Technology's Demand Sensing to gain supply chain visibility and improve manufacturing planning. In these volatile times, it is important to respond quickly to shifts in consumer preferences and control costs. Improving forecast accuracy enables Unilever to produce the right product mix, decrease costs and better serve our customers."

Terra's Demand Sensing solution uses pattern recognition mathematics to decipher daily streams of data to determine which information is predictive of actual demand and to more accurately predict retailer requirements. Unilever U.S. piloted the software in its Personal Care business for several months and reduced forecast error more than 25 percent.

Robert F. Byrne, president and CEO of Terra Technology, said, "Unilever has been able to build a strong and valued reputation as a consumer products leader by adopting best-in-class technologies to respond quickly and efficiently to changes in the consumer marketplace. By implementing Demand Sensing, Unilever will gain visibility into real-time shifts in consumer demand and will be able to respond quickly to market changes, saving significant costs as a result."

About Unilever

Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products.

In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

About Terra Technology

Terra Technology is the most trusted provider of demand sensing and inventory optimization software for consumer products companies. Terra's solutions use downstream data like POS to improve supply chain performance, reducing forecast error up to 50 percent and inventory up to 20 percent. More accurate forecasts save money, lower inventory, improve customer service and decrease waste. Some of the world’s best-known brands and three of the five largest consumer packaged goods companies rely on Terra, including Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kraft Foods, ConAgra Foods and Campbell Soup. For more information, www.terratechnology.com or call 203-847-4007 x111.