About Logistics / Supply Chain

FedEx Freight Trial Green Vehicles

2009-11-20T15:07:37Z

FedEx Freight has announced they are to conduct trials with a zero emission plug-in electric/hydrogen fuel cell hybrid tractor. FedEx will be converting a standard truck from Vision Industries of Florida, to a Tyrano hybrid. FedEx will be evaluating the Tyrano technology over the next year.

Vision Industries claim that the Tyrano heavy duty class 8 truck is 35 percent cheaper to operate than current diesel powered trucks and 50 percent cheaper than liquefied natural gas. The Tyrano has a standard range of 200 miles with 536 horsepower. It has a number of environmental bonuses such as zero emission and noise pollution.

Follow me on Twitter

FedEx Freight Trial Green Vehicles originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 15:07:37.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Reduce Freight Cost And Carbon Footprint

2009-11-19T11:49:32Z

Harvey Software, manufacturer of Computerized Parcel System (CPS), is offering its clients the opportunity to save money and decrease their company's carbon footprint. Their CPS Smart RateBots allows users to in real-time, to obtain the best price for their time-guaranteed carrier services. In addition they can also implement an automatic shipping system that minimizes a company's carbon impact for the carrier services chosen.

Even if a freight carrier's standard, ground service may guarantee delivery in one or two days, many companies only consider express services when a date definite delivery is requested. Express service often includes air transportation as part of its delivery process. Whenever ground transportation can be utilized for the entire delivery trip, the package creates a smaller carbon footprint and greener delivery route. Smart RateBots make this best, green choice automatically. Harvey Software estimates that Smart RateBots can reduce the environmental impact of shipping by as much as 20 percent.

Follow me on Twitter

Reduce Freight Cost And Carbon Footprint originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 11:49:32.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

UK Firms Postpone ERP Implementations

2009-11-18T10:09:26Z

A study by the National Computing Center (NCC) in the UK has found that over 65 percent of British firms are postponing their ERP implementations, with 24 percent on hold indefinitely and 41 percent reporting a temporary delay. The economic situation has caused companies to reduce their IT budgets and due to the complex nature of ERP implementations, firms did not have the personnel or money to invest in a long-term project.

However, the NCC did find that 29 percent of firms were not reducing investment in their ERP project and in fact some firms are increasing their investment. But on the whole UK firms were wary of such large projects at this time. Data from the NCC found that only 12 percent of firms said their implementation had come in on time, while 6 percent said it had taken less time than planned. Estimating the cost of an ERP implementation seems to be an issue for UK businesses as the NCC found that 53 percent of implementations had gone over budget.

Follow me on Twitter

UK Firms Postpone ERP Implementations originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 10:09:26.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Salesforce.com Profits Rise Again

2009-11-17T03:46:02Z

Salesforce.com, the leading provider of customer relationship management (CRM) using software-as-a-service (SaaS), reported that it's third quarter profit has doubled. The figures show that despite the economic difficulties experienced by most companies, there is still a strong demand for the solutions using SaaS rather than traditional on-site implementations.

For the third quarter that ended on October 31, Salesforce.com reported a profit of $20.7 million, up from $10.1 million from the previous year. The company's revenue grew 20 percent to $330.5 million. The company's revenue grew in every region, including a 16 percent gain in the Americas, which provides about 70 percent of the overall revenue total.

Follow me on Twitter

Salesforce.com Profits Rise Again originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 03:46:02.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

SaaS Grows, ERP Slows

2009-11-13T10:03:42Z

In a new report released by IT consultancy firm Gartner, the highlight is that there is continued growth in software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications with small and medium sized businesses. The report called Market Trends: Software as a Service, Worldwide, 2008-2013, estimates that global software-as-a-service revenue will reach $7.5 billion this year, a 17.7 percent increase from 2008 revenue of $6.4 billion. The report also predicts the SaaS market will grow through 2013 when worldwide SaaS revenue will total more than $14 billion.

Gartner shows that this growth is in areas such as content, communications and collaboration (CCC) and customer relationship management (CRM). Currently CRM and ERP sales make up the bulk of SaaS sales, but CCC, CRM and SaaS-based call center software continue to grow at the expense of ERP solutions, where Gartner reports the sales in 2009 as relatively flat.

Follow me on Twitter

SaaS Grows, ERP Slows originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 10:03:42.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

November 15th Is America Recycles Day

2009-11-12T17:15:46Z

America Recycles Day is November 15th this year and businesses and individuals can help to make this year the most successful. Recycling is a way that every person and business can help to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. By recycling at home and at work, you can help to reduce carbon emissions associated with extracting natural resources, manufacturing new products and waste disposal.

Businesses can help the environment by recycling to land and buildings. Reusing previously contaminated properties, often called brownfields, can help reinvigorate communities and preserve green space. A 2001 report by George Washington University stated that, "for every acre of contaminated property reused, approximately 4.5 acres of greenspace is preserved."

To encourage the recycling of brownfields, the EPA consults with property owners, state officials, businesses and communities to design practical solutions to property transfers, facility cleanups and redevelopment at cleanup sites. EPA has assisted in the redevelopment of both private and federally-owned sites.

Follow me on Twitter

November 15th Is America Recycles Day originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 17:15:46.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

HP Australia Reduces Carbon Emissions in Supply Chain

2009-11-11T01:48:37Z

Hewlett-Packard Australia's Imaging & Printing Group (IPG) has reduced the organization's local carbon emissions for product sourced by sea by 41 percent after revising its supply chain model. After assessing the company's supply chain costs and CO2 footprint a year ago, HP IPG analyzed the CO2 footprint for their product deliveries using sea, rail and truck. The analysis led HP to implement supply chain projects that would land product closer to customers using sea, rather than other modes of transport to move freight to customers.

HP worked with local supply chain partners DHL and Star Track Express to reduce the total CO2 emitted to move freight from the HP Finished Goods Plants to end customers in Australia. Previously all IPG hardware was being delivered nationally from HP's Central Distribution Office in Sydney. In 2009, the HP IPG Australia CO2 emissions from freight delivery were down to 3,776 tonnes per year. HP is working towards a goal to reduce our sea freight CO2 emissions by a further 20 percent by 2013.

Follow me on Twitter

HP Australia Reduces Carbon Emissions in Supply Chain originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 01:48:37.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Infor Campaign Against "Big ERP"

2009-11-10T15:11:58Z

Software giant, Infor, has launched an interesting marketing campaign against their competitors, SAP and Oracle. The campaign revolves around an Infor sponsored website called DownWithBigERP.com. The campaign includes a "Declaration of Software Independence" and describes their competitors as "Big ERP". This, of course, is strange coming from the third largest ERP company with 8000 employees and revenues of $2 Billion.

Infor's CEO, Jim Schaper, recently described his company to Apple, Google, and IBM, although public recognition of the company is far from that of those three companies. No doubt Infor is hoping that a viral marketing campaign can lure customers away from SAP and Oracle, but in a time of economic recession, companies may be far from willing to spend time and money on implementing new software. Big ERP's customers may be far more likely to slow plans to upgrade and negotiate lower maintenance fees that change their ERP software.

Follow me on Twitter

Infor Campaign Against "Big ERP" originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 15:11:58.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

No Holiday Joy For Freight Companies

2009-11-09T13:14:29Z

Before the latest economic bust, the freight industry enjoyed a very happy holiday season when retailers stocked their shelves with everything the consumer desired. However, this season there are fewer retailers with less stock to offer consumers with less cash. The freight companies are wondering if this will be a season of joy for them or despair.

Reports from analysts and media outlets do not find any reason for the freight industry to be optimistic. Retail purchases are still slow and many consumers are acting very conservative by leaving their purchases closer to the holiday season. Black Friday usually represents the start of the retailer's happiest season, but with consumers still wary, retailers have slowed down on restocking, which means less freight to carry and no joy for freight companies.

Follow me on Twitter

No Holiday Joy For Freight Companies originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 13:14:29.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

JDA Merges With i2, Again

2009-11-06T06:12:18Z

JDA has announced that the purchase of i2 is back on after they signed a definitive merger agreement for a value of approximately $396 million. The benefit for JDA is that it will acquire a company with a long history of successful supply chain planning which is required by companies in today's economy. Integrating i2's solutions and expertise will give JDA access to a new customer base for their other business solutions.

Back in December 2008, JDA and i2 halted the merger announced August 2008, when i2 was valued by JDA at approximately $346 million. It was the i2 board that scuppered the deal when the terms were amended by JDA. With JDA already absorbing Manugistics, i2's discrete manufacturing focus completes JDA's appeal across a broad spectrum of industries. The deal is expected to be completed in December.

Follow me on Twitter

JDA Merges With i2, Again originally appeared on About.com Logistics / Supply Chain on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 06:12:18.

Permalink | Comment | Email this