Waukesha, WI — March 28, 2003 — RedPrairie Corporation and webplan Corporation have formed an alliance to offer an integrated supply chain planning and execution solution that they say will be in tune with the dynamic and increasingly real-time nature of today's supply chains.
The providers say that the joint offering will address two business problems associated with today's manufacturing planning, materials planning and supply chain environments: first, the lack of accurate logistics costs and service information that would enable more optimized decisions across the entire supply chain; and second, the lack of real-time inventory and event information needed to respond to supply chain change when building and executing manufacturing and materials plans.
Together, RedPrairie and webplan says they address these challenges by integrating logistics cost and service information (for example, optimized transportation plans based on a set of planned orders) with real-time changes to inventory or delivery exceptions (for example, an expected material shipment that is going to be late) to enable planners to make better, more accurate decisions.
"As supply chains become more dynamic and operate in near real-time, the lines between planning and execution continue to blur," noted John Jazwiec, RedPrairie company results leader. "Companies need real-time information from execution systems to develop and adjust optimal plans."
"Most companies are focused on reducing total supply chain costs," said Michael Ker, president and CEO of webplan. "We now have the ability to include critical logistics information into the planning environment, increasing the accuracy of the data you use when making critical business decisions."
As an example of the improved supply chain workflows delivered with the integrated solution, planners can evaluate multiple manufacturing or supply plans and see total supply chain costs, including optimized transportation costs, in choosing which plan provides the optimal scenario.
Steve Banker, service director for supply chain management at technology consultancy ARC Advisory Group, commented: "Despite the efforts of companies to integrate their supply chains, most still have functional silos between planning and execution, manufacturing and logistics. The reality is that logistics cost data and constraints are required to develop truly optimal plans."
The providers say that the joint offering will address two business problems associated with today's manufacturing planning, materials planning and supply chain environments: first, the lack of accurate logistics costs and service information that would enable more optimized decisions across the entire supply chain; and second, the lack of real-time inventory and event information needed to respond to supply chain change when building and executing manufacturing and materials plans.
Together, RedPrairie and webplan says they address these challenges by integrating logistics cost and service information (for example, optimized transportation plans based on a set of planned orders) with real-time changes to inventory or delivery exceptions (for example, an expected material shipment that is going to be late) to enable planners to make better, more accurate decisions.
"As supply chains become more dynamic and operate in near real-time, the lines between planning and execution continue to blur," noted John Jazwiec, RedPrairie company results leader. "Companies need real-time information from execution systems to develop and adjust optimal plans."
"Most companies are focused on reducing total supply chain costs," said Michael Ker, president and CEO of webplan. "We now have the ability to include critical logistics information into the planning environment, increasing the accuracy of the data you use when making critical business decisions."
As an example of the improved supply chain workflows delivered with the integrated solution, planners can evaluate multiple manufacturing or supply plans and see total supply chain costs, including optimized transportation costs, in choosing which plan provides the optimal scenario.
Steve Banker, service director for supply chain management at technology consultancy ARC Advisory Group, commented: "Despite the efforts of companies to integrate their supply chains, most still have functional silos between planning and execution, manufacturing and logistics. The reality is that logistics cost data and constraints are required to develop truly optimal plans."
