As companies become more global, increasing and expanding operations all over the world, it becomes very difficult to manually manage supply chain processes. Especially when employees are spread out across multiple locations. GTM technologies allow users to seamlessly communicate with trading partners,  manage suppliers, optimize global transportation, ensure trade compliance, automate key aspects of trade finance, and develop timely resolutions of operational issues.

To be more specific, a supply chain visibility solution can provide shippers with near-real time visibility to the status of orders, shipments and in-transit inventory to optimize their network. Without a system in place, companies may be handcuffed with longer lead times, higher inventory levels,  budget overruns, and continued supply-demand imbalances. Furthermore, with regulations such as the Importer Security Filing (aka 10+2), it is more important than ever to have more visibility and control over what happens at origin. (And speaking of ISF, check out how Bunzl Distribution integrated a supply chain visibility solution with a trade import solution to establish a transparent and compliant import supply chain.)

The bottom line is that we are moving into an era where manual supply chain processes are becoming inept for companies who import or export. To learn more about how different types of GTM technologies can benefit your organization, please download one of Management Dynamics’ GTM Success eKits.

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FEATURED ARTICLES:
Journal of Commerce: Technology’s Survival Kit – September 1, 2009
Nathan Pieri discusses how the Global Trade Management providers have thrived during the recession magnifying the importance of controlling supply chain costs.

Supply & Demand Chain Executive: Hard Times Are GTM Time - September 1, 2009
As the recession took hold of many U.S. companies, new strategies were created to help counter-balance the hard times. Nathan Pieri offers several compelling arguments in favor of making Global Trade Management investments in today’s hard times.  

Journal of Commerce: Holding Your Breath Won’t Help – September 7, 2009
In recent months, major Global Trade Management software providers have launched a range of products aimed to help in the process of filing ISF information, including Management Dynamics. Ty Bordner discusses the importance for importers to be ready for the mandatory Importer Security Filing ruling.

MENTIONS:
Journal of Commerce: Retailer’s Balancing Act - November 2, 2009

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“We are expanding our business into international markets, adding new contracts and rates, and therefore needed a fully automated process that allowed us to handle more quoting without having to hire additional staff,” said Doug Clark, Senior VP, Global Marine & Int’l Logistics Services, Odyssey Logistics. “Management Dynamics has enabled us to differentiate our logistics services with a powerful solution that has significantly improved customer satisfaction and contributed to growing our business internationally.”

Management Dynamics’ Transportation Management solutionallows OL&T to centrally manage its ocean service contracts, describing every term with a powerful rules engine to create ‘calculable contracts’. Fully integrated with all carriers’ governing rules tariffs, the solution evaluates all potential routings from available bullet rates to more complex multi-factor combinations of outport arbitraries, alternate port-to-port rates, and inlands. This allows users, with little or no experience in pricing, to compare full bottom-line rates across multiple service contracts, modes of transport, routings and service levels. OL&T has also integrated Management Dynamics’ Transportation Management solution into the Odyssey Global Logistics PlatformSM, OL&T’s technology backbone, using an XML-based API. This allows OL&T users to check an ocean rate stored in the Management Dynamics Transportation Management solution without leaving OL&T’s system.

OL&T has seen several significant benefits since implementing Management Dynamics’ Transportation Management solution, including:

• Optimized Carrier Selection – a secure, centralized repository of ocean freight rates and service information provides the OL&T logistics team the ability to compare shipping options based on cost and service parameters and ultimately optimize carrier selection for its customers
• Differentiated Service Offering – powerful multi-factor search and rating engines empower the OL&T logistics team to quickly prepare accurate rate quotes and help OL&T’s clients handle complex rate requests when offering differentiated freight cost proposals to their customers
• Reduced Transportation Costs– ability to compare full, bottom-line shipment costs including all applicable assessorials side-by-side prior to booking allows OL&T to capture cost savings for its clients

“Logistics Providers must use specialized price management tools to improve sales productivity and better differentiate their services for shippers that are looking for detailed comparisons of equipment, routes and rates,”said Nathan Pieri, SVP Marketing & Product Management, Management Dynamics. “Odyssey Logistics is successfully using Transportation Management to support their international growth objectives and setting an example of how to exploit technology to build a winning edge.”

About OL&T
Odyssey Logistics & Technology provides global logistics management services to the chemical industry and other process manufacturers. OL&T delivers a comprehensive portfolio of logistics services to the chemicals and process industries so that clients` products are delivered safely, reliably and economically, with the advantage of shipment visibility and actionable data across all modes. OL&T presents a unique scope of industry knowledge, experience and technology, applied to client supply chain operations in two distinct outsourced logistics contexts: Managed Logistics Services and Third Party Services. The OL&T team of chemical engineers and logisticians brings unparalleled expertise-they are chemical and process industry insiders, intimately familiar with the supply chain complexities and hazardous materials requirements. Its technology backbone, the Odyssey Global Logistics Platform (SM) features a net-native transportation management infrastructure that supports highly integrated, flexible and data-rich service offerings. For more information, visit www.odysseylogistics.com.

Free White Paper:To learn more about the benefits logistics providers can gain from using an automated transportation management system, please read our white paper on NVOCC Profit Optimization.

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