Pivotal, webPLAN Integrate Demand and Supply Chains

[Whistler, CANADA] Pivotal Corp. and webPLAN Inc., a provider of e-business solutions for manufacturers, have integrated Pivotal’s demand chain network solution with webPLAN’s CeO solution-set.

This hybrid solution will simplify the selling and fulfillment process by giving customers a personalized e-commerce front end for configuring and placing orders, integrated with manufacturing systems and the supply chain back end, in real-time, over the Internet.

Business-to-business (B2B) customers of a manufacturing company with the integrated Pivotal/ webPLAN solution log on to the manufacturer’s Web site using a standard browser. Pivotal’s technology leads them through the buying experience, including needs analysis, recommendations and advice, resulting in a customized order.

The demand order is integrated with manufacturing data, and the customer receives a Capable-to-Promise (CTP) date. If shortages of parts or components are delaying the delivery, suppliers of those elements are alerted to demand for their supplies, and they too can access the manufacturing data using a browser, to optimize production and delivery schedules based on the customer demand.

Using the Web to access data on the part of all participants in any given supply chain is expected to accelerate Supply Chain Management (SCM) market growth to US $18.6 billion in 2003. Web-based SCM is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 41 percent over the next five years, reaching $541 billion, according to the Yankee Group.

webPLAN solutions have been adopted by companies such as Lucent Technologies, Honeywell Aerospace, Black & Decker, Ryobi Outdoor Products, John Deere, Caterpillar and Epson.

Pivotal Corp. enables businesses to manage customers through XML-based demand chain networks that deliver personalized customer experiences. These networks unify Internet commerce, CRM, eSelling, and wireless technologies to manage collaborative relationships between customers, business partners, and employees.