To assist the professional dealing with software in Warehousing Distribution, Logistics, and the Supply Chain.

Techniques, Vision, & Educational Thoughts

"Top WMS Vendors and High Stock Valuations"

On this issue, we divert to stock prices of technology companies. There are just a handful of "public" companies - but if you track these - understand who the leaders are - invest when they stumble - wait patiently for the stock & company to recover - one could do very, very well. Here are some examples:

A top-notch WMS player, Catalyst International, trades on the NASDAQ as CLYS. In 1997-1998, the stock has traded in the $3 to $5 ranges, and is now at $12 3/4. SAP has invested in Catalyst. Another top-notch WMS player, Manhattan Associates, trades on the NASDAQ as MANH. This is a recent case of "watch the leader" and buy when shares are low. Just a few months ago, in November the stock was at $5 a share and in four months (with good news and good earnings) it is at $19 7/8. From 5 to 20 in just four months. That is remarkable. The WMS players have always had a challenge in producing growing profitable quarters continually.

Shall we go on with i2 and Manugistics? Those that bought into Manugistics (you guessed it - they were down and are now back up). The stock for the TMS leader Manugistic went from $10 to $50. i2 continues to climb and is an expensive stock now as it's PE is 1166!! i2 went from $9 to $153 in one year!

What about Baan? Major ERP players include SAP, Peoplesoft, Baan, and Oracle. Baan is currently the underdog TODAY - with it's stock price at 5 1/4. It is struggling (but so was Manhattan, Manugistics). The debt load of Baan concerns us - but it is one of the top ERP leaders - that is a major item for a good turnaround or buyout possibility. Stock symbols are BAANF, SAP, ORCL, PSFT, ITWO, MANU, CLYS, MANH. (Philip Obal, President of IDII) Disclaimer: IDII is not advising purchase/selling of any stock. Do research on these companies and evaluate their financials.

IDII News

• If you are searching for a new Warehouse Management System, then this product can save "significant" time in building your RFQ, RFI, or RFP! Announcing the latest version of the "Standard Electronic WMS RFP". This product saves time and money for building the questions into a WMS RFP. It has 300+ detailed questions that validate vendor responses with color highlighting. One may add questions to the Standard WMS RFP and may e-mail it to the Software Vendors. An adobe acrobat PDF is available describing this more at www.idii.com/pdf/wms_rfi.pdf or see the press release. Cost is $295 U.S. and is available in a bundle of products for $395. Also available is the Advanced Electronic WMS RFP with 700+ questions or $795.

Software Company News

• AllPoints Systems Inc (WMS, 3PL) - Lands contract to provide software solutions for NFI (3PL with dot.com customers).
• Celerity Solutions (WMS, OMS, PO, APS) - Announce NEW e-business suite "Slingshot", with 4 initial, new products: eSell, eBuy, eStock, and ePlan. This will complement their WMS & Supply Chain software offerings.
  • eSell - Enables sales order entry, inquiry and management from any web browser. Delivery status can be checked instantly. Customers, suppliers and other stakeholders can be notified automatically as the order progresses from entry to fulfillment. eSell accepts EDI and XML order documents. "
  • eStock - Provides global inventory visibility, valuation and transaction control across multiple warehouses and organizations. eStock offers three levels of inventory control, a basic capability for smaller ''paper-based`` warehouses, advanced warehouse management for large radio frequency controlled facilities and ''virtual warehousing`` for tracking supplier and customer inventories.''
  • ePlan - Synchronizes the enterprise supply chain plan with those of all trading partners via the Internet. ePlan supports true collaboration, constantly receiving and transmitting information using XML, which has rapidly become the standard transport mechanism for Internet data interchange.''
  • eBuy - Purchase orders can be entered, maintained and tracked by authorized individuals from any Internet browser. Estimated arrival dates can be updated manually or electronically via XML or EDI transactions received from suppliers or carriers. Order status is always available on request. And for critical purchases, interested parties can be notified automatically via email when the status of the order changes or the delivery date is adjusted.''
  • New e-business division, SlingShot ecity - to market & support above products that are browser based, webcentric.
• Epicor Software Corporation (ERP,CRM) - (Nasdaq EPIC) - Announces PFWeb Decision Support, a comprehensive Internet business application that gives remote users easy access to information. PFWeb Decision Support enables all members of an organization to access customer information via the Internet, enabling them to make better decisions. PFWeb Decision Support delivers self-service access to Platinum for Windows’ (PFW) applications and gives users real-time Internet access to Platinum for Windows data, integration with Microsoft Word and Excel and drill-down access to accounting customer information through an intuitive point-and-click interface.
• Epicor Software Corporation (ERP,CRM) - Protocol Systems utilizes Epicor's CRM Solution, Clientele. Clientale installation has resulted in increased productivity, 40% in telemarketing, 50-60% in pipeline and forecast management, and 30% in technical support department.
• EXE Technologies (WMS, 3PL) - New reseller LG-EDS Systems Inc. (Korea). Will market and sell all of EXE's products into Korea, China, India, and EMEA.
  
  
• HK Systems (OMS, WMS, SMS, TMS, 3PL) - Announces NEW LOW-COST WMS called "Stockmaster/Express" Warehouse Management Solution on NT or Linux-based computer.
  
  • "Stockmaster/Express" WMS (NT/UNIX) comes with a relational database. Targeted for small warehouses. Total turnkey price as low as $99,000. Stockmaster/Express offers paper and/or RF capabilities. Implementation time is as low as 30 days. HK also offers a more complex WMS, SCM/Enterprise/WMS product, which users may upgrade to at a later point.
• HK Systems (OMS, WMS, SMS, TMS, 3PL) - Announce "Express Ship" 7.2 Small Package Transportation Management Module, a key module within the SCM/Enterprise Transportation Management suite of products. Designed for companies employing multiple carriers to ship small package freight, LTL, and TL.. Functions include best carrier selection, freight rating, packaging, labeling, manifesting, and export documentation generation. Certified for UPS, Federal Express, USPS, DHL, RPS, and other major and smaller carriers.
• i2 Technologies (TMS, APS) - (Nasdaq: ITWO) - Announce the web portal SoftgoodsMatrix.com (TM) for Web-based B2B marketplace. Designed to connect retail, apparel, footwear, home furnishings, floor covering, and textile companies. Site will be operational April 1st and VF Corporation, largest apparel company, is becoming the first tenant of SoftgoodsMatrix.com. This new marketplace is based upon i2's product TradeMatrix (TM) - an e-commerce and collaboration product..
  

• Intrepa (WMS) - Lands contract to provide Logistics PRO WMS to Electronics Boutique (Retailer with computer software and video games). Intrepa will provide return processing module as well.
• Intrepa (WMS) - Lands contract with Murray Feiss Imports (manufacturer of lighting products in Bronx, NY)). Feiss will focus on using Logistics PRO tools for managing wave planning and interleaving of tasks.
  
  
• McHugh Software International (WMS,TMS,3PL) - New suite of logistics software for Third Party Logistics Providers (3PLs).
• McHugh Software International (WMS,TMS,3PL) - New release 5.0 of DCS warehouse management system. This release offers real-time workflow configurability to enable companies to rapidly adapt their logistics execution to rapidly changing e-business requirements. "Personalization" is also a new feature in this version, which permits customization of fields, screens, and reports for ease of employee use. Version 5.0 includes pre-built interfaces to major ERP suites, such as SAP, Oracle, and Peoplesoft, and an expanding list of other partner systems.
• NxTrend (ERP) - BuildNet Inc, an e-business, technology, and project management systems provider for the homebuilding industry, has signed an agreement to acquire NxTrend Technology. NxTrend focuses on ERP soffware for durable goods wholesale distribution. BuildNet also recently acquired UniLink, a company that automates sending and receiving of common business documents.
  

• Radcliffe Systems Inc. (WMS,SMS)) - New version 8 of ROC (Radcliffe Operation Control) WMS. ROC 8 is now fully GUI and has numerous enhancements. New approach to picking and loading trailers, designed specifically for route/stop delivery applications. This new module means loads will be balanced and maximized before the warehouse starts picking the orders. A load planner can view an on-screen graphic of a planned trailer, then re-position pallets to balance weights and even change trailers if necessary. Site-defined rules determines the weight and volume capacity of each trailer and ROC creates plans based on those parameters. Heavy items are picked first bases on "crushability" rules, thus avoiding damaged or crushed stock. The result is the fastest possible picking and loading of balanced, filled trailers.
  
• Syntra (ERP) - Completed it's merger with ISM (International Software Marketing). Has many other announcements as well. Editor's note: Syntra has a Landed Cost Engine and export compliance services. For international buying & selling of products, this is a major differentiator in the ERP market space.
• Tecysys (ERP) - Will deploy and market their Elite eCom e-commerce product line utilizing IBM's WebSphere Application Server. This is for high-volume, high performance order fulfillment. The Tecys e-commerce solution, Elite eCom, includes B2B Web order entry system as well as a complete suite of distribution and warehouse management capabilities. To learn more about WebSphere see http://www.software.ibm.com/websphere.
  

Websites To Check Out

www.werc.org – Warehouse Education Research Council (WERC) - Educational society dedicated to enhancing the warehouse profession and practices.

Quote to Ponder

"The step-by-step process itself is easy to understand. But process alone is not at issue. ... Managing any kind of change has far-reaching implications. It requires inspired, in-touch leadership." Peg Fisher.

Scripture to Ponder

About This Newsletter

We educate and share news on software for warehousing, transportation, shipping, packing, slotting, loading, optimization, and enterprise wide software solutions. This free newsletter is published twice a month and is targeted toward supply chain professionals involved in software. Currently, it is only available electronically. Feel free to forward this newsletter to others that you know. One may quickly subscribe by accessing our website at www.idii.com. To submit information to be considered for inclusion in our newsletter, send any news, events, press releases, research, and newsletters to editor@idii.com. The current and back issues of our E-Software Newsletters can be accessed at www.idii.com/esn

© 2000 Industrial Data & Information Inc. All Rights Reserved.. Trademarks belong to respective trademark holders. Information accuracy is not guaranteed due to variety of sources.