2004 Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100

NextLinx (Rockville, MD, 1994). Empl.: 150 (-10%); custs.: 80 (+15%); impl.: 6 wks; train.: 1 wk; payback: 10 wks; svcs.: 15%. Key custs.: VF Corporation, Panasonic, ABN AMRO.
Key Problems Solved: Company's solutions solve business problems like streamlining operational processes, enhancing regulatory compliance and minimizing border delays and costs while managing import and export processes.
Key Differentiators: Comprehensive repository of up-to-date global trade content/business rules. Rapid implementation technology that leverages the content from one source. Partners' best-of-breed services and customer best practices.

Open Harbor (San Carlos, CA, 1999). Empl.: 104 (+19%); custs.: 22 (+29%); impl.: 13 wks; train.: 1 wk; payback: 12 wks; svcs.: 25%. Key custs.: BEA Systems Inc., Sensormatic, AMAC.
Key Problems Solved: Automate the global trade process, simplifying international transactions to ensure end-to-end efficiency of the supply chain and compliance with government regulations.
Key Differentiators: ASP equals: up-to-date trade content, legacy system integration, adaptability to business processes, access and visibility to data, rapid implementation, quick ROI, built on a mission-critical platform

Optiant (Boston, MA, 2000). Empl.: 43 (+15%); custs.: 25 (+150%); impl.: 10 wks; train.: 1 wk; payback: 3 mnths; svcs.: 40:60. Key custs.: Hewlett-Packard, Gillette, Imation.
Key Problems Solved: Helps manufacturers use the supply chain as a competitive weapon, improving profitability, flexibility, time-to-market, customer service and end-to-end decision-making, from outsourcing to inventory levels.
Key Differentiators:: The first company to explicitly link supply chain performance to Wall Street performance, and the only to optimize decisions based on total-cost/benefit analysis.

PeopleSoft (Pleasanton, CA, 1987, public). Empl.: 12,000 (+71%); revs: $2.3 billion (+16%); custs.: 12,100 (+140%). Key custs.: Imperial Sugar, Sprint, C.F. Sauer.
Key Problems Solved: Company's real-time enterprise solutions help organizations extend their operations beyond the four walls of their enterprise, to drive new efficiencies and eliminate waste.
Key Differentiators: Solutions offer adaptability and flexibility. They are expressly designed to help manufacturers become more demand-driven and improve profitability.

Perfect Commerce (Lee's Summit, MO). Empl.: 130 (+4%); custs.: 125 (+25%); impl.: 4-6 wks; train.: 1-2 wks; payback: Key Problems Solved: Optimization of existing purchasing and procurement systems. Onboard suppliers for fraction of cost of point-to-point connections. On ramp of weeks versus months results in faster ROI.
Key Differentiators: The Open Supplier Network is the largest independent supplier network in the world. 8,000 suppliers, 160,000 users and over 21 million SKUs of catalogue content.

PipeChain (Philadelphia, PA, 1976). Empl.: 120 (+5%); custs.: 350 (+5%); impl.: 16 wks; train.: 1 wk; payback: 6 wks; svcs.: 25%. Key custs.: Ericsson, Smurfit Stone, Volvo.
Key Problems Solved: Volvo Powertrain: "The goal was to reduce inventory and shorten leadtimes as well as increase service levels...the entire investment has paid off in less than a year, already lowered our stock by 4-5 cover days and still the service level has increased."
Key Differentiators: Ericsson: "Service levels by 100 percent...order confirmation 10 seconds...the product's simplicity, capacity to process information in real time, capability to quickly execute decisions."

PolyDyne Software (Austin, TX, 1993). Empl.: N/R; custs.: 250+; impl.: 4 wks; train.: 1 wk; payback: 3 wks; svcs.: 18%. Key custs.: Flextronics, Plexus, Sypris.
Key Problems Solved: Increases profitability, choice, and volume of EMS business won or awarded by automating repetitive and manually-intensive quoting tasks and by enabling strategic business decisions with analytics.
Key Differentiators: Complete Web-based solutions facilitating strategic outsourcing, created by EMS experts committed to delivering value-added functionality and services to ensure rapid ROI and customer success.

Prescient (West Chester, PA, 1996). Empl.: 35 (+10%); custs.: 100 (+0%); impl.: 8-12 wks; train.: 2 wks; payback: 6-12 wks; svcs.: 1:2. Key custs.: N/R.
Key Problems Solved: Solutions allow suppliers to adapt to each customers' changing business and compliance needs while improving their own decision-making across the entire supply chain.
Key Differentiators: Supply chain software and services incorporate greater visibility into real-time demand and point-of-sale information, delivering more accurate demand, replenishment and production plans.