Managing Change Through Uncertainty

Motorola, Schaumburg, IL
www.motorola.com
Year founded: 1928
Number of employees: 64,000
Number of food customers: 1,150+
Solution names: Note that most of Motorola's portfolio of Enterprise Mobility Solution products fit into this category. http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Business+Product+and+Services)
Markets served: Manufacturers; supermarket retailers; grocery wholesalers; c-store distributors; foodservice distributors; 3PLs.
Key problems solved: In today's challenging economic environment, companies are faced with making critical IT purchasing decisions that will help them streamline processes, increase productivity and ultimately guarantee the freshness of food as its shipped from farms and manufacturers to distribution centers and retail stores. Now more than ever, every dollar spent counts. And as food distribution and supply chain organizations grow their businesses, it will become essential that they use the right mix of technology solutions--from advanced data capture solutions to mobile computing devices and wireless networks--to help increase business efficiencies to meet stringent international standards and increase profitability on a global scale.

Next Generation Logistics Inc., Inverness, IL
www.nextgeneration.com
Year founded: 1988
Number of employees: 15
Number of food customers: 100
Solution names: FreightMaster TMS Suite
Markets served: Manufacturers; supermarket retailers; grocery wholesalers; foodservice distributors; 3PLs.
Key problems solved: Shippers can leverage tools within our FreightMaster TMS to improve operating efficiencies through automation, in selecting the lowest cost carrier and building optimal load consolidations. Long term, our solution will enable companies to make better strategic decisions through improved analysis in reviewing logistics data and information captured by our FreightMaster TMS.

Optiant, Burlington, MA
www.optiant.com
Year founded: 2000
Number of employees: 25
Number of food customers: 20
Solution names: PowerChain Inventory; PowerChain Planner; PowerChain Network Design
Markets served: Manufacturers.
Key problems solved: Companies need to reduce their cost of goods sold and increase inventory turns to keep cash flowing, but market uncertainties and supply chain interdependencies make this a supremely difficult challenge for traditional “rule of thumb” techniques to solve. Optiant's PowerChain Suite models and identifies interdependencies across your entire supply chain environment, from raw materials suppliers and supplier-managed inventory through manufacturing and distribution stages to vendor-managed inventory at customer sites. PowerChain Inventory ensures customers have the right products at the right place at the right time.

Optricity, Research Triangle Park, NC
www.optricity.com
Year founded: 2006
Number of employees: 10
Number of food customers: 20+
Solution names: OptiSlot DC; OptiProfile; Juncture Optimization; RASSQ Technology
Markets served: Manufacturers; grocery wholesalers; c-store distributors; foodservice distributors; 3PLs.
Key problems solved: Demand for optimization in logistics technology is no longer considered a future “want;” optimized solutions are part of the “now” demand. Warehouses want technology that optimizes receiving, storing and picking activity while responding to new SKUs and seasonal/promotional activity and drives competitive advantage. Current goals to achieve retail requirements and financial pressure to minimize costs require a technology shift making way for smart systems that calculate and recommend optimal answers.