Drinks retailer Thresher Group has signed a contract to use managed services for the final part of its technology infrastructure.

The group, which owns Wine Rack, Victoria Wine and Bottoms Up, announced last week that supplier Astech Consultants will manage its central merchandising management system (MMS), and its advanced warehouse replenishment system, known as E3.

'MMS was the last application we were directly supporting ourselves,' said Peter Baxter, head of IT services at Thresher Group.

Astech installed MMS and E3, both developed by software firm JDA, for Thresher Group three years ago, and will now provide management of the systems and 24-hour support under a five-year contract.

Baxter says that the systems are vital to the smooth running of the company.

'MMS is effectively the key driver behind the supply chain,' he said. 'It generates branch orders as well as all the price changes and VAT. It is, in effect, the stock file for the company.'

E3 integrates everyday replenishment requirements with logistical distribution and promotional stock management.

'Astech's knowledge of these systems was extremely important,' said Baxter. 'It can keep them going, as well as be proactive in keeping them up to date.'

The deal is part of Thresher Group's strategy to concentrate more on its core business. The group inherited its IT infrastructure from a former corporate parent, which managed it as part of its own central IT function. The company now wants to reduce the support and maintenance burden on its in-house skills and resources.

'We are retailers, not IT people,' said Baxter. 'What we clearly don't want to do is carry unnecessary overheads on big systems teams when we can use skills supplied as part of a managed services contract.'