IBM Retail Store Solutions Cited for Outstanding Efforts in Energy Conservation

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, today announced that IBM Retail Store Solutions has been named winner of the 2008 Point of Sale Green Excellence of the Year award for its outstanding efforts in energy conservation and its commitment to safeguarding natural resources. The award cites IBM’s “firm sense of environmental responsibility in developing the highly-innovative SurePOS 700 series of point of sale systems.”

An important part of IBM’s overall “Green Retail Store” portfolio, the SurePOS 700 system is powered by high-performance, energy-efficient processors that help customers reduce system energy consumption by nearly 36 percent. IBM’s flagship point-of-sale product was specifically designed for environmentally-conscious retailers and includes a built-in power management system and new front-vent airflow feature that help with power and cooling requirements.

“Retailers across the world are increasingly aware of the need for green initiatives,” explains Prasanna Prakash, Research Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. “Retailers as well as their customers are realizing the adverse effects of technology and its alarming results on the environment. IBM’s SurePOS 700 series squarely addresses this need to reduce retail systems’ energy consumption through its unique design and increased focus on reducing the total cost of ownership(TCO) of its customers ”

IBM focused on three main factors when developing this system: manageability, serviceability, and energy efficiency. These features help keep total cost of ownership low by reducing service and energy expenses. Remote installations and maintenance, along with low-power processors and disposable components, all help drive down potential expenses that could be incurred by retailers. Other design innovations include board flex testing, power cycling, and pre-shipment integration.

“IBM is honored to receive this recognition from Frost and Sullivan. We have a long history of social responsibility -- from implementing IT recycling programs, to developing systems that help protect the environment, to building green data centers,” said Juhi Jotwani, vice president of marketing and strategy, IBM Retail Store Solutions. “Award-winning products like the SurePOS 700 help reinforce our commitment to help retailers create totally green retail environments, which is part of an IBM Retail Green initiative focused not only on providing energy-efficient products, but on educating clients on other environmentally-responsible options available to them.”

IBM, the global leader in the POS industry with more than 2.5 million installations, does business with almost 90% of the top 20 retailers worldwide while the SurePOS 700 series has been installed in 60 out of the top 100 retailers in the U.S. IBM has a strong foothold in the POS industry, with almost 28 percent market share and an annual growth rate of 20 percent – much higher than the industry’s growth of 6 percent.

For its exemplary efforts developing an innovative, efficient, and scalable solution for retailers, and for its continued investment and overall commitment to green initiatives, Frost & Sullivan finds IBM to be the worthy recipient of the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Point of Sale Green Excellence of the Year Award.

Frost & Sullivan’s Green Excellence Awards are presented to companies that have excelled in green product and technology innovation, and service achievements that promote sustainability. These awards recognize groundbreaking ideas and innovations that originated from a firm sense of environmental responsibility across a multitude of disciplines. Recipient companies are committed to a continuous focus on reducing their dependency on non-renewable resources, decreasing their impact on climate change, and diminishing their overall ecological footprint. The companies recognized by our Green Excellence Awards program offer unique and revolutionary solutions that make a positive environmental impact, while also presenting tremendous market potential.

About IBM

IBM has been at the forefront of promoting corporate environmental responsibility for over 30 years. Through its Retail Green Initiative, IBM helps retail clients create and leverage sustainable “green” technology options for their enterprises, supply chains, and stores. The company’s commitment to delivering store technologies that meet stringent eco-friendly design and manufacturing requirements is unequaled in the industry. IBM continues to invest in technology and processes that enable retailers to meet governmental dictates and implement stewardship policies to better position them with customers and their communities. For more information on IBM and the Retail Green Initiative visit http://www.ibm.com/products/retail/green.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company’s TEAM Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership™ empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnership Services, visit http://www.frost.com.