Archive for Logistics Software Vendors
I attended the SAP Insider Logistics and Supply Chain Management 2010 conference in Orlando, Florida a couple of weeks ago. My colleagues attended other SAP Insider conferences held at the same time focused on manufacturing and product lifecycle management (PLM). You can read their takeaways about those conferences and the keynote presentations by Richard Campione, Executive Vice President of Suite Solution Management, and Peter Graf, SAP’s Chief Sustainability Officer… Continue reading
Leveraging the Logistics Software Ecosystem
· CommentsThere is a whole ecosystem surrounding the logistics software market. Part of the reason some logistics software companies thrive and others fail is that some of them do a better job of tapping into this ecosystem and leveraging it to create advantages for themselves in innovation, marketing, and sales.
Here are the key classes of players that impact this market:
- Of course, the logistics software companies themselves
Buying Supply Chain Outcomes, Not Software
· CommentsOver the past year, we’ve been discussing how performance-based outsourcing (aka Vested Outsourcing) has the potential to transform 3PL-customer relationships. But can the principles that underpin PBO also transform the way companies procure supply chain and logistics software and the way they work with software vendors?
I believe the answer is yes, but only if software vendors are willing to augment their product offerings with managed services—and if… Continue reading
This Week in Logistics Software News
· CommentsThis was a very busy week in logistics software news, with many announcements made at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Annual Convention & Expo. In case you missed it, here is a quick round-up of some of the announcements this week (all of the vendors below are ARC clients):
- Descartes Unveils Comprehensive Logistics Suite for Retailers
- Descartes and Motorola Announce Latest Intelligent AVL Solution
WMS Architecture and Total Cost of Ownership
· CommentsIn 2006, I interviewed 22 companies that had implemented or upgraded a Warehouse Management System (WMS) solution at a single site or across many sites. These interviews clearly suggested that the architecture of the solution affected its Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
I looked at the type of WMS solution that was implemented—traditional configuration versus Business Process Modeling (BPM) configuration. The latter should really be described as “micro BPM”… Continue reading
A Whole Lot of Dealing in Supply Chain
· CommentsBased on all the deals and developments that have transpired over the past few days and weeks, it seems that there’s some positive momentum in the logistics and supply chain realm heading into 2010. Here is a quick summary of notable developments:
- In the third-party logistics (3PL) world, Saddle Creek announced on Monday that it’s acquiring ServiceCraft Logistics. The deal increases Saddle Creek’s warehousing space
Do you know how some couples need to take a break from each other, and then they get back together after some time, get married, and live happily ever after?
JDA and i2 (an ARC client) first announced their engagement in August 2008. Then as the financial market meltdown intensified, the wedding was called off in December, with JDA paying i2 a $20 million termination fee. Yesterday, after spending… Continue reading
Ford’s Service Parts Supply Chain
· CommentsI recently spoke with key members of Ford’s service parts supply chain and IT organization in North America to better understand how the company is using SAP’s end-to-end service parts supply chain solution (SAP is an ARC client). Ford and Caterpillar Logistics, as key customers and partners, have helped SAP to build out this solution, particularly in the area of service parts planning. Ford has implemented service… Continue reading
