SAP carries off Samsonite

Enterprise-software maker SAP has landed luggage industry stalwart Samsonite as a customer, SAP announced Tuesday. The win is part of SAP's effort to snatch away companies that had been using applications made by J.D. Edwards, which was obtained by SAP rival Oracle via its buyout of PeopleSoft. SAP said that beginning in January 2006, Samsonite will transition to its manufacturing automation and financial software, which will support the suitcase maker's worldwide operations.

SAP said it signed the deal with Samsonite specifically based on its so-called "safe passage program" which aims to make it easier, and cheaper, for companies to move to its products from rivals' software. Oracle and SAP have recently engaged in a high-profile battle for dominance in the retail software industry, with Oracle winning a bidding war to purchase software maker Retek, and SAP announcing several well-known customers in the space, including Home Depot.