Schöneck, 22 November 2010 – GK SOFTWARE AG continued to grow during the first nine months of fiscal 2010. According to provisional figures, the company was able to increase its sales by 30 percent to EUR 17.08 million in comparison with the same period in the previous year. The EBIT at EUR 2.38 million was three times higher than the same period in 2009, which was weighed down by a takeover. Based on the third quarter figures, the Management Board assumes that the growth forecast for 2010 will be met.

• Sales increase by 30% in comparison to 2009, according to provisional figures
• EBIT (EUR 2.38 million) more than triples compared to the same period in the previous year
• Growth forecast for 2010 confirmed

GK SOFTWARE AG has completed the first nine months of the current business year with very good results in line with corporate planning. Both sales and the EBIT rose significantly in comparison with the same period in the previous year. According to provisional figures, sales rose by almost 30 percent from EUR 13.16 million to EUR 17.08 million. Overall performance rose by one quarter from EUR 14.59 million in the first nine months of 2009 to EUR 18.25 million in 2010. The EBIT tripled from EUR 0.71 million to EUR 2.25 million, if a comparison is made between 2009 and 2010. However, the lower figure in 2009 was due to special effects connected to the takeover of Solquest GmbH in 2009. The EBIT margin was 13.9 percent during the first nine months of fiscal 2010 (5.4% for the same period in 2009). Based on the results from the first nine months of the year, the current state of completion of projects and the sales pipeline, the Management Board is optimistic about the future. The Board confirmed its forecast of ongoing double digit growth in sales for the complete year in 2010 and an EBIT margin that is similar to previous years.

Schöneck, 01 July 2010 – GK SOFTWARE AG and SAP AG have extended their reseller agreement.

• SAP will directly sell GK SOFTWARE AG’s POS software too

SAP will now be able to directly sell a package consisting of the POS software and Store Device Control Software as a result of an agreement signed by the two companies.

Schoeneck, 14. September 2010 – GK/Retail has been successfully ported for IBM's latest version of its retail specific operating system 4690 Version 6.

Schöneck, 1 April 2010 - GK SOFTWARE AG has received an order from a leading Russian retailer to equip more than 1,000 stores with its GK/Retail software

Schöneck, 21 December 2010 – CHRIST Juweliere und Uhrmacher seit 1863 GmbH, which is part of the DOUGLAS-Group, has decided to install GK/Retail software in its German stores, which number more than 200. As a result of this decision taken by the leading provider of jewelry and watches in Germany, GK SOFTWARE AG has once again tapped into a new retail sector in the luxury field.

CHRIST Juweliere und Uhrmacher seit 1863 GmbH, which was founded almost 150 years ago and now has more than 200 stores, is the market leader for jewelry and watches in Germany. Following on the heels of Douglas and Thalia, CHRIST is now the third subsidiary company of the DOUGLAS-Group to decide to use GK/Retail. The crucial issues leading to the company’s decision were not only the technological factors and the broad range of functions that GK/Retail provides, but also the positive experience that Parfümerie Douglas und Thalia have gained with GK SOFTWARE AG. These two companies are already using the GK/Retail software in more than 1,000 stores and many different countries. The decision by CHRIST is ample proof that GK SOFTWARE AG’s existing customers are highly satisfied with the high quality provided both during the handling of the project and the service and maintenance during subsequent productive operations.
During the project, the standard GK/Retail software will be extended to include special features need for this luxury business – e.g. printing documents certifying that items are genuine or customer management.
Jochen Schnell, Managing Director of Juwelier CHRIST, is expecting to obtain “a significant improvements in service opportunities in stores and major synergy effects within the DOUGLAS-Group” by using GK/Retail.

• About CHRIST:
  CHRIST Juweliere und Uhrmacher seit 1863 GmbH operates more than 200 stores in Germany, employs about 2,200 members of staff and has its own web shop. CHRIST has a reputation for first-class quality and excellent service and offers exceptional jewelry ideas and an extraordinary atmosphere in its specialist shops, which are situated in the best locations. CHRIST has been fully owned by DOUGLAS HOLDING AG since 1997. CHRIST provides its customers with exclusive designer and lifestyle brands like JETTE, TONI GARD and SANSIBAR and also has its own jewelry and watch collections.

Schöneck, 09 March 2010 – Ludwig Beck AG will equip its long-established store on Marienplatz in Munich and all its other stores with software solutions from GK SOFTWARE AG. The functions that particularly relate to fashion will be extended in the standard GK/Retail software as part of this project.

Ludwig Beck AG, which operates one of the leading department stores in Germany and several other Ludwig Beck fashion and mono label stores, has decided to equip all its branches with a comprehensive software package from GK SOFTWARE AG. Ludwig Beck AG will not only introduce the POS software, which will be used for approx. 60 IBM systems at the main company store alone, but will also make use of the Lean Store Server. This enables all the back office systems at all the stores to be integrated at one central computer center. GK/Retail will be linked to the Navision merchandise management system in this project.

Extensive Fashion Functions

Extensive fashion functions are particularly important for Ludwig Beck AG, which operates one of the leading fashion department stores in Germany. As a result, the appropriate business processes in GK/Retail are being extended. This will considerably expand the fashion characteristics of the standard software. The GK/Retail Enterprise Promotions Manager will be used for all the processes related to setting up special offers in the future. This will also completely display the multi-layered customer discount system at Ludwig Beck AG. The Stored Value Server will handle the complete gift certificate and gift card management system.
The long-term feasibility and modern features of the new software solution were the most important criteria that persuaded Ludwig Beck AG to select this product. Angelika Forsthuber, IT and Logistics Department Manager at Ludwig Beck AG, summarized things in the following way: “We were looking for a standard software solution, which was very modern from a technical point of view, and a reliable partner for the long term. We are certain that we will be able to use GK/Retail quickly and without any restrictions when it comes to issues like digital signatures, new types of sales promotions or requirements like PCI DSS.”

• About Ludwig Beck AG
  Ludwig Beck AG operates one of the most innovative fashion department stores in Germany on Marienplatz in Munich. Its motto “Store of the Senses” represents exclusivity, a variety of brands, international cult labels and top quality against an exciting backdrop. The company operates LUDWIG BECK fashion stores, mono label stores as franchise companies and the LUDWIG BECK warehouse sales at other sites in Bavaria. Thanks to its innovative retail concept, the company even registered an increase in sales in 2009. Gross sales at Ludwig Beck AG rose by 1.8% to EUR 103.7 million based on comparable figures for the previous year.

Schöneck, Frankfurt/Main 15 November 2010 – Rainer Gläß, the founder and CEO of GK SOFTWARE AG has been awarded the title “Entrepreneur of the Year 2010” in the information and communications technology/media category. The long-standing prize awarded in five categories by the auditing and consultancy company Ernst & Young is one of the most significant awards for entrepreneurs in Germany.

• Renowned business prize awarded to the founder and CEO of GK SOFTWARE AG
• Acclaim for his business success, willingness to take risks and social commitment

Leading German business people were awarded the title “Entrepreneur of the Year 2010” for their extraordinary successes at a gala celebration in the Alte Oper concert hall in Frankfurt/Main. The founder and CEO of GK SOFTWARE AG, Rainer Gläß, received the prize in the information and communications technology/media category in recognition for his work in developing his firm into a leading global developer of software solutions for retail enterprises with large numbers of stores at different locations. During the prize-giving ceremony, one factor was given special emphasis: all the prize-winners not only distinguished themselves through “their technical innovations, business foresight and personal courage,” but also assume huge responsibility for what is going on in their local communities. In this connection, the organizers paid tribute to Rainer Gläß and the commitment of his company, GK SOFTWARE, to develop the Upper Vogtland region, which suffers from economic underdevelopment.

The “Entrepreneur of the Year” Competition

Ernst & Young organizes the “Entrepreneur of the Year” competition around the globe in more than 50 countries in order to draw attention to and present awards for outstanding business achievements. The participants undergo a challenging, multi-level selection process up to the prize-giving ceremony. An independent jury consisting of scientists and business people finally selects the prize-winners in five categories. The high-powered seven-man jury was chaired by Prof. Dr. h.c. Lothar Spät, the former state premier of Baden-Württemberg. The other prize-winners this year in addition to Rainer Gläß were Prof. Claus Hipp, the Managing Partner of HIPP Werk Georg Hipp OHG, Dirk Roßmann, the founder and CEO of Dirk Rossmann GmbH, Thomas Riedel, the founder and managing director of Riedel Communications GmbH & Co. KG and Robert Stöcklinger and Uwe Heinze, founders and board members of G+R Technology Group AG.

Schöneck, 02 December 2010 – GK SOFTWARE AG is presenting a comprehensive software package for use in independent retail stores and centrally controlled markets as part of the EDEKA project entitled the “Store of the Future” in Hamburg. The package represents both the latest store technology with visionary concepts and solutions that have proved their worth in practice.

The EDEKA Group in Hamburg has developed a comprehensive concept for the “Store of the Future” as part of an extended internal showroom. It provides its members with an opportunity to discover more about new software solutions and technologies for their stores at an early stage. GK SOFTWARE AG is providing an all-round software package to manage the market and some of this is already in commercial use at EDEKA stores.
The central component of the software package is the store merchandise management solution provided by GK SOFTWARE AG. This enables companies to gain access to all their goods-related processes in stores on mobile devices, which are able to work offline too, in conjunction with the leading SAP system. Another key element is GK/Retail POS, which is already in use in approx. 1,000 EDEKA Minden-Hannover markets and more than 4,500 Netto stores. This till software is able to handle all the processes, which are required in the different formats used by EDEKA, and it can be seamlessly integrated in the forward-looking Lunar landscape. In the “STore of the Future,” GK/Retail POS is also exhibited with a link to a self-checkout and a tunnel scanner.
An innovative line-busting solution is also on display, which is aimed at speeding up checkout procedures. The contents of the shopping basket are recorded by mobile devices and a preliminary receipt is printed out. Customers can then pay their bill and leave the checkout zone through secure gates.
The valuephone software for mobile payments and mobile couponing represents revolutionary mobile technologies, which provide an all-round system for customer loyalty schemes in conjunction with GK/Retail POS.

Schöneck, 30 September 2009 - GK SOFTWARE AG and SAP AG have signed a contract covering a reseller agreement. Under the arrangement, SAP will directly distribute two GK/Retail software solutions for store device control and offline enabled mobile store processes.

Schöneck, October 19, 2009 – GK SOFTWARE AG today announced it is collaborating SAP AG to deliver integrated retail and ERP solutions for store integration and mobile processes to EDEKA, the largest food retailer in Germany. The objective is to provide EDEKA with innovative device control and offline-enabled mobile handheld processes integrated with its central ERP system.

The solutions will include two GK/Retail-solutions from GK SOFTWARE AG integrated with the SAP® software portfolio, providing a comprehensive end-to-end solution to EDEKA as a first step. Integrating the central ERP system and store processes will help EDEKA better manage its stores.

The integrated offerings planned for EDEKA include store device control software and an offline-enabled mobile handheld application. With the store device control software, the pe-ripheral control platform is integrated with SAP solutions and acts as a data hub between the central SAP system and the store. At the same time, the solution helps ensure all data flows between the different subsystems in a store are controlled (e.g., POS, scales, and reverse vending machines).

The offline mobile handheld application will allow access to merchandise functionalities di-rectly on mobile devices. Unlike online-only applications, the offline mobile handheld applica-tion will allow both online and offline processes. Therefore, applicable business processes such as inventory management and article validation can be performed with the highest data quality, even without a permanent online connection. Additional functionalities will also be available, which require direct access to central data, such as stock control or price checks.

"We are pleased to work together with GK SOFTWARE AG to deliver an integrated solution to EDEKA, which will help them to improve efficiencies and productivity," said Verlin Youd, senior vice president, Global Trading Sector, SAP. "The cooperation underlines SAP's end-to-end integration proposition of data and business processes from head office to store. It also further demonstrates the value of our ecosystem - that through cooperation with companies such as GK SOFTWARE, we are delivering innovative solutions to market while lowering total cost of ownership."

Rainer Gläß, CEO of GK SOFTWARE AG: "For GK Software, both the project with EDEKA and the cooperation with SAP represent outstanding milestones for our solutions in the area of store integration and mobile processes. We expect they will significantly impact our future business, especially in regards to our international activities."