A select group of The Smart Shed participants have rolled out stage one of the household goods e-marketplace PQ Africa, the IT fulfilment partner for The Smart Shed, has unveiled the first stage functionality of independently operated household goods electronic marketplace, The Smart Shed, which involves retailers Lewis, Lubners and Morkels, and leading bedding manufacturer Sealy.
Stage one consisted of implementing the catalogue service, requisition and approval service and the order management services on The Smart Shed infrastructure using i2`s TradeMatrix marketplace solution. Functionality addressed in the next stages of the project includes procurement, collaboration, catalogue content exchange and a storefront selling capability for participants.
"We`re piloting a new collaborative model for The Smart Shed with a select group of retailers and manufacturers. We`re pleased to have delivered stage one on time and within budget," said Paddy Gray, e-business program executive at PQ Africa.
"This new electronic relationship between Lewis, Lubners, Morkels and Sealy includes co-operation and information exchange on supply chain issues that will be extended throughout the household goods industry in due course," says Keith Roberts, managing director of The Smart Shed. "We anticipate valuable two-way benefits by bringing the world of manufacturing and retailing together.
"A basic catalogue reflecting the products sold by Sealy to the pilot retail brands has been set up in stage one. This catalogue will be expanded, refined and enhanced during the ongoing roll-out exercise," said Gray.
"Stage two of The Smart Shed implementation will introduce additional business-critical functionality, such as bulk purchasing, and will move closer towards standardised processes, workflows, data models and connectivity mechanisms in order for participants to collaborate on strategic plans, sales and order forecasting, and replenishment."
Roberts says this will allow marketplace participants to more accurately meet consumer needs and will offer significant benefits for the industry by improving efficiency throughout the supply chain. This will result in reduced costs. "We believe that this type of collaborative model is very much the future of business."
PQ Africa, through the use of i2 software, is providing The Smart Shed participants with the ability to plan, share information, collaborate, transact, and manage by exception through a centralised point, in a highly secure manner, via the Internet. This includes the ability to monitor, integrate and disseminate data to improve buying practices, optimise channel management, and improve the capacity utilisation of multiple participants in the supply chain.
"One of the critical success factors within an electronic marketplace is the need for implementation to be directed and driven from the `top` of each participant within the marketplace. We must attribute the success of stage one to the participants Sealy, Lewis, Lubners and Morkels who are now responsible for the successful implementation and utilisation of The Smart Shed solution within their own business environment, business processes and systems," says Gray. "The commitment to this initiative by the household goods industry as a whole has been overwhelming.
"The implementation of e-business in an enterprise has the potential to bring about dramatic change in the way that the organisation runs its business and deals with its customers and suppliers. We believe that the current participants in the e-marketplace, which include, The Steinhoff group, Lewis, Relyant and Profurn will quickly realise the significant benefits and bottom line improvements this e-marketplace can bring about."
Gray was promoted from Marketing Executive at PQ Africa`s e-commerce specialist ECnet to spearhead the e-business drive into this sector in April. As e-business program executive at PQ Africa, Gray will be responsible for assisting The Smart Shed to build an "exceptional value proposition" for the participants in this e-marketplace.
Read more at http://www.TheSmartShed.com
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PQ Africa`s core business strategy is focussed on being best of breed eBusiness integrators. Our strategy is customer-focused, on the basis that solution specialists architect technology-based business solutions. PQ Africa`s core strength is our breadth and depth of expertise to implement complex eBusiness solutions. eBusiness initiatives are enabled through the provision of technology infrastructure and systems integration, managed services (such as outsourcing) and best of breed business application skills.
PQ Africa is SA`s leading provider of competitive, innovative and flexible business solutions based on Information and Communications Technology ("ICT"). Comparex Holdings Limited has a 50% minus one share interest in PQ Africa. The black empowerment group NITAC (the National IT Acquisition Consortium), led by Real Africa Holdings Limited, holds a controlling interest of 50% plus one share in PQ Africa
The Smart Shed
The Smart Shed, Africa`s independently operated household goods electronic marketplace, is a joint venture company formed between South Africa`s major household goods industry players and leading information technology and logistics groups.
This collaborative e-marketplace will enable participants to conduct their business through a centralised point, in a highly secure manner, via the Internet.
Founder members include South Africa`s leading furniture, case goods and bedding manufacturer, http://www.steinhoffinternational.com Steinhoff, leading IT and Freight & logistics groups http://www.comparex.co.za Comparex and http://www.unitrans.co.za Unitrans respectively.
Comparex`s South African subsidiary, PQ Africa is the Smart Shed`s preferred IT partner while http://www.roadway.co.za Roadway Logistics, a joint venture between Unitrans and Steinhoff, is its preferred fulfilment partner. Major retail groups http://www.gus.co.uk Lewis, http://www.profurn.com Profurn and http://www.relyant.co.za Relyant, which represent almost half of SA`s retail outlets, are the JV`s founder retail partners.
The Smart Shed`s main focus will be to enable integration and collaboration across the entire supply chain, which spans from raw material suppliers through component and finished goods manufacturers and onto the retailers. The primary objective is to create improved efficiencies and effectiveness across the entire supply chain, this will result in cost savings for all participants. It will provide full electronic trading capability between all marketplace participants, as well as comprehensive supply chain management and logistics services using best of breed technology solutions.
i2
i2 is creating real value for global e-business customers through its i2 TradeMatrix solutions, content, and marketplace platform and is a leading supplier to the global metals industry. i2 TradeMatrix allows businesses to create both private and public marketplaces, while improving the efficiencies of all participants. i2 provides a wide variety of collaborative e-business services for both the early stages and next generation of e-business adoption, with each service supported by decision optimisation, transaction management and content management solutions. Founded in 1988, i2`s mission is to deliver $75 billion in value to its customers by 2005. i2 is headquartered in Dallas, TX, has more than 5,600 employees and maintains offices worldwide. Visit i2`s Web site at http://www.i2.com. i2 is a registered trademark of i2 Technologies, Inc. i2 TradeMatrix, TradeMatrix and the i2 logo design are trademarks of i2 Technologies, Inc.
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