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Three New Barloworld Optimus Tools 21 February 2008

A ground-breaking new carbon optimisation tool that has already resulted in a 28% reduction in carbon emissions coupled with a 9% decrease in costs in ‘real-life’ proving trials, is one of three new Barloworld Optimus tools making their formal debuts at Softworld at the NEC in March.

In the wake of another high-success trading year – sparked-off by growing calls for carbon reduction and inventory optimisation software - the Solihull-based supply chain planning consultancy and software developer is planning to springboard a major new global business drive with three major new additions to its world-beating applications stable…

 

CAST-CO2  - the natural successor to its world-leading forerunner CAST-FE (Footprint Estimator) – draws on well-proven technology not only to calculate carbon emission, but also to map-out ‘best-case’ supply chain optimisation in terms of carbon footprint. As the critical issues of carbon emissions and corporate social responsibility take on a massive new global urgency, extensive proving trials have already returned results including 28% reduction in carbon emissions alongside a 9% decrease in transportation costs.

 

CAST v10, the latest version of the company’s world-leading network modelling application now enhanced to make this latest version significantly faster than previous CAST releases, Vista-compatible, and with the latest GIS data particularly in Asia, Africa and the Americas – all features geared to giving CAST a significant edge over any other program in its price sector and maintaining its leading position in the increasingly-competitive global network optimization software market.

 

CINO (Combined Inventory and Network Optimisation). Elements of a newly-released super-advanced supply chain optimisation tool with the potential of unlocking huge supply chain cost and effectiveness gains across the entire supply chain will also be demonstrated on Barloworld Optimus’ stand (214) at the key trade show. Specifically developed to combat the potentially fatal downside of multi-sourcing and multi-echelon inventory flow – CINO also features the ability to build and compare complete ‘what if?’ scenarios.

 

According to the Solihull-based company, 60 new software and consultancy deals notched-up last year, as well several key new contracts already clinched during 2008, have dramatically underlined the spiralling need for greater supply chain planning and responsible carbon emission strategies.

“Rising interest rates, escalating fuel prices and a slow but marked move to be seen to reduce carbon footprints in the wake of growing public pressure are all combining to make companies take a long, hard look at their supply chain inefficiencies – and that’s the chief reason behind our success” commented Barloworld Optimus’ Managing Director Kevin Boake.

He said that volatility and uncertainties in a number of key operating areas have prompted an increasing number of companies to review their supply chain strategies and forward-planning procedures, and that the trend is set to continue ‘at least for the foreseeable future’.

The  speed of change in global markets, rocketing fuel prices, the growing industrial aspirations of China, Russia, India and other regions, and the after-shock of the US credit crunch are all combining to force companies to face up to the major benefits that can be achieved through effective supply chain planning and management, he says.

“Rising interest rates and fuel prices have sparked-off a growing realisation that there’s a clear, direct correlation between effective supply chain planning and ultimate financial success, and companies are now in no doubts that they need to be able to react quickly and effectively to constant changes or risk financial failure – all elements particularly suited to our expanding product portfolio, and that’s the message we’ll be pushing at Softworld” he said this week.

As well as demonstrations of the world-beating programs, the Supply Chain Director of one of the firm’s longest-standing clients – the world’s biggest vehicle glass repair companies Belron – will also be presenting an outline of how the two companies have co-operated to produce major results since the association began in 2000.

Belron, who clocked-up $2 billion turnover last year, is one of two major global organisations that have already bought licences for CAST-CO2  ahead of the new-look tool’s official launch.

With the potential to answer some critical strategic questions relating to where product is sourced from and where it should be stocked throughout its entire supply chain process, there’s also growing interest in CINO – currently being used in a consultative mode with a major automotive group.

Barloworld Optimus’s software stable also includes  Optimiza - an advanced inventory optimisation application that, unlike traditional inventory re-ordering systems, takes into account the unique supply and demand characteristics of its supply chain, effectively reducing stock levels by between 15-50% while increasing service levels by as much as 20%, and ODP (Optimiza Demand Planner) - a purpose-built demand management tool designed to create responsive multi-level multi-channel forecasts with highly flexible financialised views.

Barloworld Optimus is exhibiting on Stand 214 at Softworld, running at the NEC Pavilion on 12th and 13th March.