Shenzhen, China
: The Global
Procurement organization of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced today an
enhancement to its quality control processes by selecting Intertek
Group plc to provide final inspection services for merchandise sourced
in China. With more than 25 offices in China, Intertek was chosen
because of its extensive quality capabilities, category expertise, and
geographical coverage.
Wal-Mart anticipates 180 associates
will be displaced with the change to Intertek effective immediately. In
addition to providing compensation, the company will provide assistance
to all impacted associates through career transitioning workshops and
outplacement services. Wal-Mart currently employs approximately 50,000
people in China through its Global Procurement and retail operations,
and will grow along with additional retail expansion.
 "Quality
is a top priority for Wal-Mart. It is an area where we continuously
challenge ourselves for improvement. Intertek will provide us with an
independent assessment of product quality, which will help ensure only
merchandise that meets or exceeds our specifications will be approved
for shipment," said Jeff Macho, senior vice president and managing
director of Wal-Mart Global Procurement.
"We recognize that our
customers expect world-class quality. Through this change, Wal-Mart
will be able to enhance our own business efficiency and effectiveness,
while offering outstanding products to our customers," said Tony Judge,
vice president, quality assurance for Wal-Mart Global Procurement.
About Intertek Group plc (OTC: IKTSF)
Intertek
is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide
range of industries around the world. Headquartered in London, Intertek
maintains a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and
over 21,000 people in 110 countries. Additional details can be found at
www.intertek.com.
About Wal-Mart Global Procurement and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart
Global Procurement was established in 2002 to facilitate the direct
purchasing of merchandise. Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, the
organization has over 1700 associates sourcing products from 50
countries. www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.
Source: prdomain.com
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