Vertical specific functionality in supply chain execution offering aims to address key issues for retailers
Atlanta — January 28, 2004 — Manhattan Associates, a provider of supply chain execution (SCE) solutions, has revealed a new retail-specific solution as part of its Integrated Logistics Solution strategy to fulfill the specific SCE needs of various vertical markets.
The new retail-specific solution utilizes the modules of Manhattan's SCE applications to create an offering to manage the movement of goods from source to consumption, addressing key issues for retailers in the areas of trading partner, warehousing and transportation management, including managing inbound capacity and visibility from suppliers to retail stores and managing yard operations.
In addition, the solution addresses revised federal hours-of-service regulations and reverse logistics management.
"We are fostering the mindset that solutions must be delivered to meet the end-to-end supply chain execution needs of the retailer," said Eric Peters, senior vice president of products and strategy at Manhattan.
Manhattan said its Integrated Logistics Solution for Retail is composed of business objects from the company's three primary application suites: Trading Partner Management (TPM), Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
Supported by common event management and performance management applications, the retail solution is designed to address the entire retail SCE lifecycle and such retail-specific SCE issues as supplier integration, import supply chain visibility, reverse logistics management and radio frequency identification, Manhattan said.
The new solution contains several applications that can be delivered to meet retailers' needs as stand-alone apps or as an integrated suite. Manhattan said that this approach allows retailers to realize operational benefits without being required to use all SCE applications from a single solution provider.
The provider also noted that it has added a new module, Load Management, to the solution to address appointment scheduling and yard management operations. Load Management is designed to help retailers increase the throughput and efficiency of their receiving and shipping processes with features such as a Web interface for carrier appointment collaboration, radio frequency tasking for yard movements and real-time graphic visibility into yard status.
"Given the impact of the new federal hours-of-service changes, the need to be efficient in unloading and loading at distribution centers is more pressing than ever," said Alain Poirier, vice president of retail at Manhattan. "With the addition of the Load Management module to our Integrated Logistics Solution for Retail, retailers will turn around their carriers as quickly as possible and minimize the potential cost impact of the new regulations."
