Infor Software Helps Companies Green Their Supply Chain

Infor today announced general availability of the latest version of Infor SCM Network Design, a supply chain modeling solution used by some of the world's most recognizable manufacturers, distributors, transporters, and retailers.

In response to increased supply chain costs and the need to implement more carbon efficient networks, new capabilities in Infor SCM Network Design help companies more easily redesign, model and optimize their networks.

Strategic Network Modeling is the process of modeling the entire supply chain to evaluate redesign options to optimize for costs, revenue and service.

Infor SCM Network Design provides advanced modeling capabilities that incorporate relevant costs, facilities and transport modes to help companies make strategic decisions that maximize efficiencies based on criteria most important to the organization.

In the latest release, Infor SCM Network Design incorporates sustainability criteria, enabling companies to factor carbon emissions related to nodes, such as plants, warehouses and stores, and transport modes, including rail, air, trucking, and ocean freight.

This enables organizations to take the first steps in greening their supply chain, by first calculating the carbon emissions generated from their supply chain network and then fine-tuning it to lower emissions while also achieving cost and service objectives.

According to an April, 2008 Research Brief from Aberdeen Group, "By integrating sustainability targets and goals into the redesign of key supply chain areas, companies are better able to balance the goals of the responsive, cost effective, and resilient supply chain with a wider concept of 'costs' that include factors that are economic, environmental, and social.

The optimal balance of such factors, result in top service and increased profitability."

(The full report is available for download at http://snipr.com/top5report.)

"Supply chains can become out of tune due to factors like mergers and acquisitions and fluctuating fuel costs," said John Pulling, senior director, Supply Chain Management, Infor.

"Infor SCM Network Design helps companies continually evaluate their networks so they can implement and maintain more cost and carbon efficient supply chains."

Infor SCM Network Design helps companies make efficient supply chain infrastructure choices, such as the size, location, and number of plants and distribution centers.

For manufacturers, it can evaluate which products should be manufactured at each location and in what quantities.

Distributors can use Infor SCM Network Design to determine where to stock products and what combination of national and local distribution centers is most efficient.

Third-party logistics providers can evaluate their transportation modes to determine optimal sourcing and replenishment strategies for their customers.

In each example, Infor SCM Network Design can create "what-if" models that allow the organization to balance customer service, costs and carbon emissions to create the most effective mix according to their strategic plan.

For more information on Infor SCM Network Design, visit http://snipr.com/networkdesign.

To view a webinar on "The Top 5 Pressures Driving the Green Supply Chain", visit http://snipr.com/top5green.

Infor SCM Network Design is part of Infor's portfolio of solutions that help customers implement the business processes essential to driving their green and sustainability programs (see Dec. 12, 2007 press release titled, "Infor Helps Organizations Implement Green and Sustainability Programs").

In addition to Supply Chain Management (SCM), these solutions include other key areas such as Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Performance Management (PM) and ERP.

For more information on Going Green, visit www.infor.com/goinggreen or take the Infor Green Assessment at http://go.infor.com/green/.

Source: BusinessWire ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--