InterBiz sets up logistics alliance

InterBiz, the ebusiness applications division of Computer Associates, has formed the Logistics Intelligence Infrastructure Alliance with a number of UK-based logistics software firms.

Alliance members have linked their applications to business intelligence software from InterBiz to provide a complete supply chain solution.

"Using the software, a company's chief executive can discover exactly what is going on within the business anywhere in the supply chain," said James Jones, senior vice president for Europe at InterBiz.

He added that, although the companies in the alliance were based in the UK, the solution is being sold across Europe.

The software offers views, alerts and secure operational functions. The InterBiz business intelligence suite, BizWorks, will provide business rules, predictive capabilities and links between the eight complementary systems from alliance members.

Jones explained that workflow standards are needed to connect disparate systems. "The transport director wants information at a given moment. We have standard, tried and tested agents checking [for example] the web, reporting back and triggering an alert if needed."

Clive Longbottom of analyst firm Quocirca said the system could appeal to firms building supply chain systems from scratch. "It's a beautiful theoretical solution, well suited to a green field situation," he said.

"The problem is there are companies with some systems in place. You aren't going to rip out what you have; 80 per cent of companies already have intelligent XML," he added.

Chris Girling, marketing director of in-vehicle data transmission systems provider Isotrak, an alliance member, said: "We're not expecting to put in all eight systems at once; it's not an exclusive relationship.

"But we have shown an order flow right through the system, and the software gives a view of the complete supply chain instead of going to eight different places."

Longbottom doubted whether there would be a huge demand for the system. "A narrow focused approach to, say, two vertical markets and five geographical areas may allow [the alliance] to carve out a small niche. But it won't propel them into the big league," he said.

The members of the alliance are ASG Services, DPS International, Isotrak, Precision Software, Psion Teklogix, Transcomm UK, Mandata and X4I.