Datalogic : consolidates its partnership with Iper, La grande i of the Finiper Group >>

Bologna - May 16th, 2017 - Datalogic, a global leader in automatic data capture and industrial automation markets consolidates its partnership with Finiper Group. Finiper, a major leader in the retail sector, operates hypermarkets that are part of Iper, and La grande i brands located in seven Italian regions with 27 sales outlets. These stores are known for a vast assortment of high quality of products, and meticulous sales areas.

For their new sales outlet in Arese (MI), located in one of the largest shopping centres in Europe designed by architect Michele De Lucchi, Iper selected the industry's most modern check-out and self-shopping systems from Datalogic.

Specifically, Datalogic supplied:

• Joya™ the intuitive and ergonomic device for self-shopping that strengthens the client/store relationship and promotes loyalty
• Skorpio™ X3 and Falcon™ X3+ mobile computers for management of sales from the Click & Collect system
• Memor™ X3 mobile computers for managing the inventory and back-office processes at the sales outlet
• Shopevolution middleware for self-shopping that easily integrates with systems in sales outlets and at headquarters for self-payment applications and management of loyalty programmes

'Our aim,' said Valerio Cortese, Director of Information Technology Systems for the Finiper Group, 'is to guarantee the best service possible for our client from both the relational and technological points of view for a quick and enjoyable shopping experience. In our sector, technology must make certain processes like check-out and payment efficient, rapid and facilitate internal procedures such as the storage of goods. The use of these technologies enables the company to pursue its mission, that is, making quality accessible for all, and conveys to every client the inspiring principles that guide the decisions of Iper, La grande i: breadth of the assortment, quality, sustainability, cost/benefit and the Italian touch'.

Iper, La grande i, introduced self-shopping systems back in 2003 and since then has relied on Datalogic in its pursuit of technological innovation and client loyalty. Already, 16 Iper sales outlets in Italy have been equipped with Datalogic devices.

'We seek to keep abreast of the market, in step with the requirements of our customers', continued Cortese. 'At the same time, we like to maintain a close, human relationship with the customer, for example writing the offers of the day on posters by hand'.

Datalogic solutions are also an active part of IperDrive, Finiper's new, 100% free service where shopping done on a smartphone or PC is picked up and paid for digitally at the sales outlet. Datalogic Falcon X3+ and Skorpio X3 devices support this process; the terminals read the bar codes of products before delivery to the customer and identify the customer by reading their loyalty card. IperDrive is enjoying great success. A recent survey by Bem Research revealed that the website of the Iper supermarkets is one of the most popular among e-commerce consumers.

Emanuela Iapelli, Southern EU Sales Director Retail for Datalogic, remarked: 'We are proud to be able to collaborate so intensively with Finiper, an innovative group that is very attentive to the needs of its customers. Joya and Shopevolution are two excellent solutions for improving the shopping experience. Together with Datalogic's extensive experience, the outcome of more than 40 years, they satisfy both retailers and consumers'.

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Iper Montebello Spa was founded in 1974, with the opening of the first Italian hypermarket; in the same year, Finiper was established and would become the Group's financial holding company. The Finiper Group is still today controlled by its founder, Marco Brunelli, it operates mainly in the Major Retail sector and it is divided into three major areas: the hypermarkets under the 'Iper, La grande i' brand, the 'UNES e U2' supermarkets and the property business. The 'Iper, La grande i' hypermarkets are located in 7 Italian regions: 27 sales outlets, known for the high quality of the fresh products, the vast assortment of foodstuffs and other products in addition to the extreme care taken over the sales areas. The supermarkets of the 'UNES e U2' chain, acquired in 2002, are located in Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia and Liguria: more than 130 supermarkets and franchise supermarkets. The Finiper Group's consolidated turnover in 2015 was 2.6 billion euros with a total of around 9,000 employees. The continuous growth enjoyed by the Group culminated in 2016 with the opening of the 27th hypermarket under the brand 'Iper, La grande i' located in Arese, a unique level of excellence in terms of quantity and quality of the services offered in the Milan area, within an innovative shopping centre that is one of the largest in Europe. The Group's philosophy, based on sustainable development, is very much to the fore in its latest project: the reclamation of the area abandoned by the Alfa Romeo factory in Arese has been a decisive factor in the territory's preservation, avoiding new soil consumption and saving the entire area from degradation.