Management Dynamics, a leading provider of Global Trade Management solutions, today announced that it has changed its name to Amber Road.  The name change comes during a year of rapid expansion, marked by a 40% growth in employees, a 325% increase in European bookings, and the opening of a flagship office in Tysons Corner, Virginia.  This breakout year is anchored by a 33% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in overall revenue for the past decade. 

“Today, our SaaS-based solutions span fourteen software products that include global transportation management, import/export compliance, supplier management, supply chain visibility and a content knowledgebase covering trade regulations and tariffs for more than 120 countries, “  said Jim Preuninger, CEO.

To learn more, please read the full press release or visit http://www.amberroad.com/.

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“We’re proud to be associated with these leading companies and we continue to be impressed by their innovative use of our solutions. The results are a testament to the fact that global trade management solutions, when combined with forward-thinking supply chain strategies, can have a measurable impact on return on assets (ROA), revenue growth, and competitive advantage,” said Jim Preuninger, CEO of Management Dynamics.

For more information on how the survey and research was conducted, please visit The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2011.

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Supply chain visibility is something that can be easily achieved by implementing an enterprise-wide automated technology solution. A software solution such as Management Dynamics’ allows users precisely monitor the inbound and outbound movement of goods at the shipment, order and SKU level, using over 350 reference points. This level of visibility enables suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and transportation companies to improve customer service and minimize expediting costs by managing inventory in-transit. So no matter how volatile the market is, companies can have complete visibility and control of their inventory levels.

To learn more  about how a software solution can improve supply chain visibility, please check out Supply Chain Visibility Excellence: Fostering Security, Resiliency and Efficiency. This new report from Aberdeen Group focuses on gaining visibility into critical elements across the end-to-end logistics network for improving cost and service. Additionally, it takes a look at how Best-in-Class companies are streamlining their supply chains.

Key findings include:

• Best-in-Class companies experienced a 3% decrease in supply chain execution cost as a percent of revenue (inbound /outbound transportation, pipeline and staged inventory and SC management costs)
• Best-in-Class companies experienced a 3% decrease in total landed costs per unit handled
• Best-in-Class companies are between 19% and 42% more likely to respond to non-catastrophic supply chain disruptions within hours.

Download the report today at this link.

To read more on the Capgemini survey findings, please check out Material Handling & Logistics’ article, Demand Volatility Is the Top Business Driver for Supply Chain Managers.

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Aberdeen’s brand new report, Supply Chain Visibility Excellence: Fostering Security, Resiliency and Efficiency focuses on gaining visibility into critical elements across the end-to-end logistics network for improving cost and service. Before a company can reduce inventory or landed cost, it needs visibility into them. Only then can it apply tools to agilely adapt to the information it collects.

A few key takeaways from the report are:

• Best-in-Class companies experienced a 3% decrease in supply chain execution cost as a percent of revenue (inbound /outbound transportation, pipeline and staged inventory and SC management costs).
• Best-in-Class companies experienced a 3% decrease in total landed costs per unit handled.
• Best-in-Class companies are between 19% and 42% more likely to respond to non-catastrophic supply chain disruptions within hours.

This report is available for free for a limited time, so download your copy today.

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[Supply chain inconsistencies can force retailers to] either retain higher safety stock levels, which increases their inventory carrying costs; resort to airfreight to recover from delays, which balloons transportation costs; or use a combination of the two.

While the article references careful carrier selection as a way to ensure timely deliveries, there are GTM solutions out there that can help retailers with all aspects of supply chain and transportation management. By automating the following elements of the global supply supply chain operations, retailers will be able to reduce cash-cash cycles and lower total delivered costs.

Trade Planning
Develop optimal sourcing and distribution strategies by assessing the total landed cost of alternative decisions including product invoice, transportation, duties, VAT, excise as well as evaluating applicable import and export regulatory controls. With a complete picture of cost and risk, shared decisions can be made across sourcing, compliance and logistics functions.

Import Automation
Establish a global import compliance function that integrates all procurement activities. Manage product classification and admissibility reviews to ensure compliant purchase orders are issued. Streamline the entry process to reduce brokerage costs and reconcile entries to resolve issues before they become a costly Customs audit.

Supplier PO Management
Deliver compliant purchase orders to suppliers in a portal that confirms orders, creates invoices, and manages a buyer workflow to build shipments and generate key documents like the commercial invoice and packing list. Efficiently manage supplier compliance and integrate with origin logistics partners.

Origin Management
Manage origin logistics with a portal that coordinates full container load shipments from a supplier and less than container or air shipments. Use a collaborative workflow process to confirm and book shipments as well as collect bill of lading details to facilitate inbound visibility. Enhance compliance with new advanced notification regulations like Customs 10+2 by collecting relevant information at origin.

Global Freight Management
Negotiate seafreight and airfreight rates and implement a process for logistics providers and suppliers to book against your favorable rates. Use sophisticated rating tools to optimize carrier selection, pre-rate the booking and automate freight audit.

Supply Chain Visibility
Monitor global orders, shipments and in-transit inventory with a complete event management solution. Use milestone alerting to proactively resolve delivery issues and to trigger supply execution activities such as pickups or warehouse receipts. Use in-transit inventory information to enable postponement strategies and new, direct-to-store delivery strategies. Aggregate all operational data to establish scorecards and manage trade parties with a comprehensive set of key performance indicators.

For more information on the benefits automation can bring retailers, I recommend this new eBook: Direct Import Strategies for Retailers.

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“Improving visibility” is often one of the top three priorities of supply chain executives to improve the performance of global operations. Here are ten tips to capture the benefit:

1. Accommodate Multiple Fulfillment Models. Visibility solutions need to be highly configurable to accommodate all of the various fulfillment models in operation across the enterprise. Domestic supply chains with three handoffs and a cycle time of less than a week are much different than an international supply chain that involves 12 – 15 handoffs and two border crossings. Supply chain visibility solutions that are flexible enough to accommodate multiple fulfillment models allow benefits to accrue across the enterprise and not within a specific product line or operational model.

2. Create an ‘Information Hub’. Visibility solutions not only extend processes outside the four walls, but must integrate and aggregate key information from within the four walls of the enterprise. The ‘Information Hub’ creates a one-stop-shop for key order, shipment, and inventory information from all internal ERP, TMS, WMS and other inventory planning systems. This expands the number of supply chain processes that can be managed by Visibility and ultimately improves productivity by eliminating ‘sneaker nets’ and re-keying of information..

3. Don’t Assume Data Quality. Aberdeen Research recently conducted a survey and discovered that only 16% of Visibility implementations have data quality above 91%. The other 84% of companies surveyed must clearly be challenged by user adoption. To achieve the value from a visibility solution, users must have confidence that the information is both timely and accurate. State-of-the-art Data Quality Management is comprised of complex rule-based systems to cleanse and standardize information and analytical tools to monitor, troubleshoot and resolve data quality issues using Six Sigma principles.

4. Use a Proven On-boarding Process. Data quality starts at the source and successful Visibility implementations often use an on-boarding service that is based on a careful assessment of information requirements and leverages existing integrations from an established network of transportation, logistics and brokers to certify new connections.

5. Postpone Inventory Allocation Decisions. Many leading companies are using Visibility to track shipments to an SKU level. This allows them to treat the container as a ‘floating warehouse’ to implement inventory diversions through a transload facility or to and to postpone all inventory allocation decisions to just prior to Entry. Given long order-to-deliver cycles, this ability to manage in-transit inventory can reduce days inventory on hand and stock-outs.

6. Push Visibility Back to Origin. Many initial Visibility implementations are based on ‘where’s my stuff’ shipment tracking at a container level. Savvy companies, however, are expanding their Visibility systems by linking orders to shipments and managing in-transit inventory. New CBP regulations such as 10+2 create much more accountability for the importer and kicking off a new wave of investment to push visibility back to the origin. Many of the “10” data elements are related to the supplier, the seller and where goods were loaded – all information that can be collected from origin operations.

7. Finally Manage Trading Partners with Scorecards. The by-product of operational Visibility is a rich repository of supply chain data that can be aggregated across the enterprise and with all trading partners year after year after year. Using leading Business Intelligence tools, scorecards to manage supplier compliance, or transportation booking performance can be easily developed. Since Visibility reduces tactical firefighting, the purchasing, logistics and customer service teams can redirect their efforts to continuously improve global operations.

8. Track Landed Costs Along the Chain. Aberdeen reports that companies that implement visibility are twice as likely to reduce total landed costs over the past two years. Many companies use Visibility to track product, freight and insurance costs as well as integrate trade compliance information such as duties, tax, VAT and other governmental charges. By seeing how costs build and monitoring variances to budget, companies can focus efforts to target cost overruns

9. Use Triggers to Automate Handoffs. Visibility solutions today are evolving from monitoring tools to execution systems. Leading companies are using ‘triggers’ based on supply chain events to plan warehouse receipts, to schedule a pickup, or to alert that the free-time will expire on a container. These triggers create tremendous value by compressing cycle time or helping to reduce the costs associated with demurrage and detention fines

10. Become Your Own 4PL. Visibility is now considered to be a critical and strategic information asset. Leading companies are implementing the infrastructure and deploying new value-added services to their business units and ‘plugging in’ logistics provider partners; in short, they are becoming their own 4PL. The advantage of this model is that all trading partners integrate to one standard and are managed at both a tactical and strategic level. In this way the central logistics team controls all information assets and the delivery of value-add services to their constituents. Perhaps “I am here from Corporate and ready to help” can take on a totally new meaning in your business.

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Receive this independent e-book, Improving Supply Chain Visibility via Technology, designed for SCM, IT and business professionals, and:

• Gain a full overview of the many kinds of SCM technology available today
• Solve the supply chain visibility challenge
• Justify and make the case for SCM technology investments
• Understand how compliance is driving the need for greater supply chain visibility

Download our complimentary eBook today, and gain a better foundation for managing your supply chain and improving visibility with suppliers as well as within your organization.

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Management Dynamics, a leading provider of Global Trade Management solutions, today announced that Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), a specialty retailer of casual apparel for men, women, and kids, implemented its Supply Chain Visibility solution to provide real-time visibility into the status of orders, shipments and in-transit inventory. The global, multimode visibility solution will allow its logistics team to streamline its supply chain process from vendor to distribution center and collaborate with merchants and service providers to reduce costs, shipment delays and improve customer service.

Abercrombie & Fitch selected Management Dynamics for its industry experience in delivering supply chain visibility solutions as well as its advanced data quality management capabilities. With 30 trading partners and multiple international business units, Abercrombie & Fitch’s logistics team needed a single, detailed level view of shipments and orders in-transit to track, manage exceptions, proactively pinpoint in-transit delays and respond to any potential logistics crisis. Integrating with its Oracle Retail Merchandising System, Management Dynamics’ Supply Chin Visibility solution allows merchants to monitor the delivery status of key orders and for the logistics team to proactively manage inbound shipments by milestones. And, with accurate shipment information earlier in the supply chain, Abercrombie & Fitch is able to improve store-level inventory allocations to reduce cycle time and achieve higher levels of availability.

“We needed to create reliability in our global supply chain with the ability respond to actual and potential issues and tightly collaborate with our merchants, distribution centers and service providers,” said Lois Davis, Vice President Global Trade & Transportation, Abercrombie & Fitch. “We chose Management Dynamics for their supply chain experience, ability to ensure data quality and problem resolution focused approach. Their hosted solution saves valuable time and effort, provides meaningful cost reductions, optimizes our shipping options, and improves our customer service.”

Management Dynamics’ Supply Chain Visibility solution supports the key requirements of the logistics operations at Abercrombie & Fitch including:

• One central location for tracking critical shipment information across multiple sources, providing visibility to inventory in-transit and speeding the flow of goods from distribution to merchants.
• Advance notice of shipment information to improve cross-border logistics decisions.
• Proprietary Data Quality Management (DQM) technologies and business methodologies to ensure best-in-class information accuracy, completeness and timeliness for all messages exchanged between trading partners.
• Event alerting capabilities that anticipate potential inventory receipt and fulfillment issues and prompt rapid resolution before they impact availability.
• Robust functionality for measuring, analyzing and improving the performance of suppliers, carriers and service providers with user-defined reports, scorecards and KPIs based on frontline data.

“In high fashion with ever-changing seasons and consumer tastes by region, it is critical for specialty retailers to tightly manage the inbound supply chain from vendor to distribution center and ultimately to improve store-level fulfillment metrics,” said Jim Preuninger, CEO of Management Dynamics. “Abercrombie & Fitch understands the importance of building a strong infrastructure to support collaborative logistics processes and selected our Supply Chain Visibility solution based on a track record of delivery in this area. We look forward to helping this leading apparel retailer to establish transparency across its global supply chain and realize their operational objectives.”

About Abercrombie & Fitch

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of casual sportswear apparel for men, women, and kids. The company’s stores offer knit and woven shirts, graphic t-shirts, fleece, jeans and woven pants, shorts, sweaters, and outerwear, as well as personal care products and accessories under the Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie, and Hollister. It also offers bras, underwear, personal care products, sleepwear, and at-home products for women under the Gilly Hicks brand. As of December 16, 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operated over 1,100 stores in the United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. It also sells its products through Web-based stores, as well as through a catalogue. The company was founded in 1892 and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio

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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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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ, January 13, 2010 — Management Dynamics, a leading provider of global trade management solutions, today announced that Fiesta Gas Grills, one of the largest North American grill manufacturers, has implemented its Supply Chain Visibility solution to support its expanded global procurement operations. Integrating its sourcing which is primarily from China to its operations in the United States and Canada, the global multi-mode solution has enabled Fiesta to improve customer service, reduce cycle times, better manage suppliers and proactively identify in-transit delivery issues.

“We needed a solution that provided visibility into our manufacturing and distribution process at the supplier level, the ability to generate commercial documents and a platform on which to coordinate all of our global operations. We found the ideal solution with Management Dynamics,” said Peter Perley, COO, Fiesta Gas Grills. “The Supply Chain Visibility solution could help us to double our business this year without having to add additional staff to our procurement organization.”

Management Dynamics’ Supply Chain Visibility (SCV) solution connects Fiesta Gas Grills with its multiple overseas suppliers, logistics providers, brokers and carriers on a single global platform to communicate critical purchase order, shipment and inventory information and to support collaborative logistics processes. With real-time shipment visibility, Fiesta can offer its national retail customers, order tracking with visibility into nine stages of the manufacturing process for better inventory management with less frequency of stock-outs. In addition, armed with essential information on each shipment from its suppliers, Fiesta’s procurement operations can make accurate decisions relating to diverting inventory or resolving bottlenecks.

“Global supply chain teams need real-time visibility to their supply network, yet the realities of today’s global supply chain – multiple trading partners with varying information systems and data definitions – can create major operational challenges for companies,”said Nathan Pieri, SVP Marketing and Product Management for Management Dynamics. “By moving from a largely manual manufacturing and logistics process to one that is automated infrastructure with Supply Chain Visibility, Fiesta Gas Grills has the control and decision support tools they need to reduce lead times, enhance customer service and increase sales in this difficult economy.”

About Fiesta Gas Grills LLC

Through quality craftsmanship and innovative designs Fiesta has become one of the largest North American grill manufacturers. Fiesta grills are cooking great outdoor meals in over 30 countries around the world.. Whether its our award winning Blue Ember brand, our Fiesta brand or our Grillrite brand our dedication to quality permeates our company. From the design teams through the manufacturing team to the in-house customer service representatives, every member of the Fiesta family is committed to providing each owner of a Fiesta grill “the best grill under the sun” and the ultimate in outdoor cooking experience.

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