Local Colgate Palmolive subsidiary, Colgate Palmolive SA, has installed Sterling Commerce`s GENTRAN: Server e-commerce solution at its Boksburg headquarters.
The solution was supplied and installed by USKO, the Sterling representative in SA.
USKO says the solution allows Colgate Palmolive to outsource its distribution activities by providing an e-business link between the company and its outsourced distributor.
The move to GENTRAN: Server follows Colgate Palmolive`s 1998 global initiative to move from legacy systems to SAP R/3.
During the course of the SAP R/3 implementation, the opportunity to restructure the distribution process was also identified, and a decision was taken to enhance service levels by outsourcing all distribution activity to third-party distribution companies.
Philip du Plessis, the project manager of e-commerce initiatives at Colgate Palmolive SA, says this necessitated the transmission of logistical information to the third-party distributor so that the delivery to the customer could be effected.
"The company`s SAP R/3 system is physically located in New York and is accessed via a virtual private network over the Internet.
"And as the Colgate Palmolive requirement for any electronic commerce solution is that it is SAP AG-approved, we chose GENTRAN: Server as it alone met all requirements," he says.
Du Plessis, who is a member of Colgate Palmolive`s global e-commerce team, says GENTRAN: Server is not only SAP-approved, it also offers scalability, local support and the functionality for now and the future.
In essence, he expects the solution to lead to more accurate inventory levels, in turn allowing for more timely and complete shipment of orders.
In addition, he is confident that the direct view of activities provided by GENTRAN: Server will lead to better inventory management and associated time and cost savings.
"Indeed, the GENTRAN: Server interface between the systems has already resulted in Colgate Palmolive`s message volume increasing from a monthly 1 250 messages to some 6 500 messages per month."
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