newsworthy
JDA Software Group Inc. has released a software product
that it said allows users to integrate their digital and physical
supply chains, identify unprofitable links in omnichannel
logistics, and adjust their fulfillment models to avoid them.
In the rush to compete for market share, retail companies
often promise fast delivery and wide selection to every customer, Paula Natoli, JDA’s vice president for product management, said in an interview. However, many businesses
find they have to sacrifice their profit margin in order to
fulfill that service level. “When you place an online order
with multiple line items and it arrives at your house in five
different parcels, you know for a fact the vendor didn’t
make a profit on that order,” Natoli said.
JDA, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., says its new solution,
called JDA 9.0, will help planners avoid these distribution
nightmares by using the company’s cloud-based “Flex”
platform to collect data from disparate sources and provide
end-to-end visibility from manufacturer to consumer.
Powered by this compilation of logistics data, the software can provide overarching supply chain planning, optimization, and business analytics for players at every level,
including manufacturers, retailers, third-party logistics
service providers (3PLs), and wholesale distributors, the
company says.
In practice, that means a user could make more intelligent fulfillment decisions, such as setting shipping strategies
based not just on where an order was placed but where
it will be delivered. That approach combines aspects of
warehouse management systems (WMS), transportation
management systems (TMS), order management software,
and supply chain planning software.
The company had released the previous version of this
product, JDA eight, in 2013, as a compilation of more than
30 software products hosted on a single cloud-based platform. The earlier product was designed to provide high-level oversight that was previously available only through
enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms.
By upgrading to version 9.0, JDA is asserting its ability to
manage the end-to-end supply chain workflow and compete
against enterprise software platforms from SAP SE, Oracle
Corp., and Manhattan Associates Inc., said James Cooke,
principal analyst at Nucleus Research Inc., an analyst firm.
“JDA sees where things have to go to support business
intelligence in the supply chain,” Cooke said. “You have to
gather data from various systems, from what the supplier
has to what the customer wants.”
That high-altitude visibility is crucial in an era when only
16 percent of companies are actually making a profit fulfilling omnichannel demand, according to a 2014 survey of
400 retail and consumer-goods leaders conducted for JDA
by consulting firm PwC.
“The emergence of omnichannel selling—coupled with
‘me commerce’ trends that increase the need for personalized service—has placed companies in an extremely difficult position,” JDA chief product officer Kelly Thomas said
in a release.
“Most businesses have made significant investments
in manufacturing facilities, distribution networks, and
technology systems to serve this complex market demand.
However, too often, these disparate resources fail to work
together toward the shared goal of profitability,” Thomas
said.
JDA solution aims to streamline “omnichannel” supply chains
The GT Nexus Shipper Council, a community group
of supply chain executives representing large glob-
al enterprises, has recognized ocean freight carrier
Maersk with its 2015 Ocean Performance award. … The
Frost & Sullivan Manufacturing
Leadership Council recently pre-
sented The Raymond Corp. with its
Manufacturing Leadership award
in the Operational Excellence
Leadership category. … North
Carolina’s Department of Labor
recently honored employees at Crown Equipment Corp.’s
Kinston, N.C., plant for maintaining an incidence rate at
least 50 percent below the industry standard within its
industrial classification sector and for achieving 1 million
employee hours with no injuries or illnesses. The compa-
ny and one of its supervisors, Dave Lauth, also received
the Patriot award from the Defense Department’s
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve office
for their support of employees who are members of
the U.S. National Guard and/or Reserve services. …
Ametek Prestolite Power, a provider of industrial battery
charging and fleet management solutions, presented its
top dealer partners with awards during the company’s
2015 dealer meeting. … The Scoular Co., which provides
grain, feed ingredients, and food ingredients, received
The Port of Virginia’s 2015 Shipper of the Year award. …
Kenco, a provider of integrated logistics solutions, and
its media relations company, James Street Associates,
were recently honored by the Transportation Marketing
and Sales Association with an Award of Excellence for
Kenco’s 2014 media relations program.
accolades
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