Press Report

Innovative solutions for supply chain execution offers potentials for optimization in logistics and reduce costs clearly

(Elektronik Praxis 09.2006) The efficiency of the cross-company linking of all partners in the supply chain still offers significant optimisation potential. Appropriate efforts have shown little success up to now. One reason for this is the goal to harmonise the various IT-systems within the supply chain under any circumstances - this approach has proven to be too complex.

However, the pressure for taking action is constantly growing: global supply chains necessitate the pragmatic, cost-efficient and flexible linking up of all partners. The superordinate planning and monitoring of core processes clearly saves costs here. By now Internet-based IT-solutions are said to be the most effective media for an integrated linking of the transport-, freight cost-, procurement-, and loading device management while including all supply chain partners.

Interactive automation structures can be established because of the close interlocking of suppliers, plants and logistics service providers. The first companies already plan cross-company logistics processes for all spheres of activity which are related to the SCE by means of Internet-based IT-solutions and they optimise the SCE while considering all information of the supply chain partners. Thus, a globally operating automotive manufacturer has, for example, reorganised its transport management by means of the comprehensive introduction of the SCE-standard-software logistics-server by inet-logistics. Through the reorganisation and software introduction it was possible to reduce transport costs by 12%. The introductory project was amortised in less than ten months.