GT Nexus announced today an agreement with Evian North America to provide hosted software and information management services for a strategic initiative to improve global supply chain operations.
GT Nexus will provide software applications, partner integration, data acquisition and management, and network operations support. The platform, deployed over the Web exclusively for Evian, its customers, and its logistics service partners, will serve as a unified data hub, standardizing logistics processes and centralizing global visibility of product flow, from order to delivery, across Evian's global supply chain network.
"This is a strategic business initiative for Evian," said Philip Greenfield, vice president, supply chain for Evian North America. "The objectives are to improve inventory levels, raise information accuracy and improve customer service."
"As our technology partner, GT Nexus provides the integration platform and process automation tools for us to manage our partner network more effectively, measure performance, and gain better visibility and control over orders and shipments, " he said. "It will take our supply chain to the next level of performance."
Evian, which is owned by Groupe Danone, is among the world's leading producers of bottled premium spring water. The company manages a supply chain that extends across bottling facilities in eastern France at Lake Geneva, warehousing in France and Belgium and distribution operations with strategic partners across North America.
"Groupe Danone exports Evian and its sister brand, Volvic, from France to over 120 countries around the world," noted Kim Cartledge, the company's global vice president of supply chain for Beverages. "Once we have established the implementation of GT Nexus to support our North American business, we will certainly look at extending its usage and benefits to other export markets."
The system will provide a central business platform incorporating a broad community of global supply chain participants. These include Groupe Danone and Evian business departments, strategic customers, as well as ocean lines, freight forwarders, third party logistics providers, customs brokers, warehouses and trucking services in Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
The GT Nexus platform replaces mostly manual order tracking and inventory visibility processes used by Evian today.
As a hosted software service, Evian and its partners will access and use the system via a common Web browser, with functionality provisioned directly over the Internet. Since it requires no installation of hardware or software on-site at the customer, deployment is faster, with initial phases going live in 60 to 90 days, instead of the longer lead times and more complex start-up typical of traditional "license and install" packaged software.
"Hosted technology platforms that connect partners globally, and provide integrated management software create benefits across entire communities of supply chain participants," said Aaron Sasson, chairman and chief executive officer of GT Nexus. "Evian recognizes the value of these new technologies, and the competitive advantages for their organization and their customers. We are committed to their success and proud to welcome them to the GT Nexus family."
